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Lecturer(s)
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Sik-simon Rita Ildikó, Dr. LL.M. Ph.D.
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Vítová Blanka, doc. JUDr. LL.M. Ph.D.
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Hamuľáková Klára, JUDr. Ph.D.
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Course content
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MODULE 1. Consumption and its impact on the environment and sustainable consumption 1. Consumption and its impact on the environment in five key areas of life 2. Sustainable consumption as a binding political goal in Europe and initiatives for sustainable production and consumption MODULE 2. Fundamentals of consumer law 3. Consumer law and consumer rights 4. Consumer transactions: contract law and unfair terms in consumer contracts 5. Digital technology and consumer protection 6. The impact of advertising and marketing on consumer protection 7. Misleading and aggressive commercial practices 8. Liability for defects and product safety regulations 9. Enforcement of consumer rights: dispute resolution and class actions MODULE 3. Environmental labeling and product life extension 10. Environmental labeling ? certification and indicators 11. Greenwashing and assessing the truthfulness of environmental claims 12. National best practices for extending product life, how to use legislation to promote sustainable consumption
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Learning activities and teaching methods
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Monologic Lecture(Interpretation, Training), Dialogic Lecture (Discussion, Dialog, Brainstorming), Work with Text (with Book, Textbook), Group work
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Learning outcomes
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Sustainable consumption is the 12th Sustainable Development Goal of the United Nations. It is a complex, binding, and universal challenge that must be integrated into all European Union policies and activities, as well as into the practices of businesses and households. This goal often conflicts with the everyday behavior of consumers and their rights, which are ensured by a high level of consumer protection. This course will provide students with a deep understanding of the legal aspects of consumer protection with an emphasis on sustainability and responsible consumption. Students will begin by learning about the basic principles of consumer law, contract law in the area of consumer transactions, and the regulation of unfair commercial practices. They will then move on to examine the environmental and social aspects of consumption. Significant attention will be paid to new challenges in the digital environment and e-commerce, as well as false claims by businesses regarding the environmental performance of goods and services. Students will learn to recognize and analyze the issue of greenwashing and its legal regulation, as well as broader issues of sustainable consumption and producer responsibility for product defects and safety. The course also covers the enforcement of consumer rights and dispute resolution mechanisms, providing students with practical tools for effective consumer legal protection. After completing the course, students can apply their knowledge and skills in various areas of law and regulation, particularly in legal practice focusing on consumer law and sustainability, in regulatory and supervisory bodies dealing with consumer protection and sustainable consumption in non-governmental organizations and think tanks focused on sustainable consumption and consumer rights protection, in the corporate sphere, particularly in the areas of compliance, CSR, and legal consulting in marketing and advertising, or in academic and research environments with an emphasis on sustainable development and consumer protection law. The course combines the traditional field of consumer law with current challenges related to sustainability and responsible business, preparing students to solve legal problems in the modern economy.
After completing the course, students will be able to: 1. Understand the basic principles of consumer law and contract law in the area of consumer transactions. 2. Analyze contract terms and assess their fairness with regard to consumer protection, in connection with SDG 12. 3. Identify and analyze unfair commercial practices and recognize false claims by businesses regarding the environmental performance of goods and services. 4. Apply the legal aspects of consumer protection with an emphasis on sustainability and responsible consumption. 5. Assess the environmental and social aspects of consumption and their impact on consumers and society. 6. Recognize and analyze the issue of greenwashing and its legal regulation. 7. Understand new challenges in the digital environment and e-commerce and their impact on consumers. 8. Assess manufacturers' liability for product defects and safety and their legal consequences. 9. Apply practical tools for effective consumer legal protection, including dispute resolution mechanisms.
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Prerequisites
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The completion of this course is not conditioned upon completion of any other courses.
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Assessment methods and criteria
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Student performance, Seminar Work, Written exam
Active participation in discussions and webinars (20%), independent written assignments and essays (30%), group project focused on consumer protection and sustainability issues (30%), final test of knowledge and skills (20%)
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Recommended literature
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Keirsbilck, B., & Terryn, E. (Eds.). Consumer protection in a circular economy.
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Simon, R. (2024). Enhancing environmental sustainability through reforming Czech contract law. In T. Ginige, I. Green, P. Van Calster, A. Simons, & J. McMullen (Eds.), Social and scientific uncertainties in environmental law (pp. 384?416)..
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Simon, R. (2022). Udržitelná spotřeba. In H. Müllerová (Ed.), Klimatické právo (1. vyd., s. 569?588).. Wolters Kluwer.
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Vítová, B. (2016). Zákon o ochraně spotřebitele: Komentář. Praha: Wolters Kluwer, 2016.. Wolters Kluwer.
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