A twinning project between Tunisia and three member states of the European Union (France, Germany and Belgium) on market surveillance, quality control and consumer protection was launched on Tuesday in Tunis.
The objective of this program is to support the Tunisian administration, including the Directorate of Quality and Consumer Protection (DQPC) coming under the Ministry of Trade and Handicrafts, and the National Consumer Institute (INC) to help them ensure their roles in market surveillance and consumer protection.
Nathalie Homobono, head of the Directorate General for Competition, Consumption and Repression of Fraud (DGCCRF), at the French Ministry of Economy, Finance and Industry, stressed that this operation also aims to allow Tunisia to benefit from the agreements on free movement of goods and commodities in all EU Member States.
It also seeks to promote the policy of consumption and consumerism through accelerating the development of a Tunisian Code of consumption, she added.
With a budget estimated at € 1.4 million and extending over 24 months (January 2012/January 2014), the twinning project has several lines of action for its realization.
Strengthening the legal foundation of the market surveillance and consumer protection sector, in addition to supporting the institutional development of the DQPC and the INC are at the top of interest.
Other areas include the development of human resources units able to transmit new skills necessary for the promotion of the aforementioned institutions.
Note that this operation is part of the Twinning Program of Support to the Association Agreement and Neighborhood Action Plan (P3II), funded by the European Union (€ 1.1 million awarded as grants).
