FINISHED: Strengthening Consumer Protection Organisations for Better Municipal Services in SEE

Period: February 2015 – March 2016
Donator: German organisation for international cooperation (Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit) – GIZ

The main objective of the project “Strengthening Consumer Protection Organisations for better Municipal Services in SEE” was to strengthen the capacities of consumer organisations in advocating the rights of consumers of municipal services in South-East Europe. The project was financed by the German organisation for international cooperation (Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit) – GIZ, through Open Regional Fund for modernisation of municipal services, while Think for Europe Network was in charge of project implementation. National consumer protection organisations from all three countries (National consumer protection organisation of Serbia, Consumer protection centre of Montenegro and Consumer protection organisation of Macedonia) were also be involved in project implementation while consumer protection organisations from other countries of the region gradually involved themselves in project activities.

Project was implemented through set a of work packages which were concentrated around the following activities: development of the regional study and adoption of action plans for advocacy by the consumer organisations (work package 1), arrangement of multi-stakeholder dialogue and preparation of consumers’ awareness raising strategies (work package 2) and establishment of the regional consumer organisations network – CONWeB with clear goal of affiliating itself with BEUC – European Consumer Organisation (work package 3).

The project lasted for 13 months and realisation started in February 2015.