Base Knowledge
Clear and consolidated knowledge of the General Theory of Civil Law, the Law of Obligations and Contract Law.
Teaching Methodologies
Theoretical and practical classes consisting, in particular, of a presentation of the syllabus, answers to questions raised by students, comments on the subject by all those taking part in the classes, resolution of practical cases and analysis of case law.
Learning Results
Goals:
– To understand the fundamental concepts related to consumer protection, as well as the respective legal regime.
– To know the main doctrinal and jurisprudential issues that arise in an economic and social area that is relevant to the daily lives of citizens.
– To distinguish with rigour the various legal institutes that together make up this area of law.
– To identify the legislation applicable to each specific situation in a context of a certain degree of regulatory dispersion.
Competences to be developed:
The student should understand and master the main legal systems applicable in the field of consumer legal protection and know how to apply them to concrete practical cases.
Program
I – GENERAL FRAMEWORK OF CONSUMER LAW
Introductory concepts
Constitutional and legal consumer protection
II – CONCEPT OF CONSUMER
Elements (subjective; objective; teleological; relational).
III – CONSUMER CONTRACTS: general aspects
IV – GENERAL CONTRACTUAL CLAUSES
Concept and characteristics
Forming an adhesion contract: the duty to communicate and the duty to inform (sanction: exclusion)
Content of the contract: prohibition of clauses contrary to good faith; consecration of absolutely prohibited clauses and relatively prohibited clauses (taking into account the standardised negotiating framework)
Procedural mechanisms: injunctions (active and passive legitimacy, effects).
V – SALE OF CONSUMER GOODS AND GUARANTEES
Legal framework and objective and subjective scope of application
Legal presumptions of conformity of the goods
Duty of pre-contractual information: requirements; form; effects; consequences
Right of cancellation: time limit; form of exercise; effects; exceptions
Performance of contracts
Connected sales
VII – ESSENTIAL PUBLIC SERVICES
Legal framework
Suspension of service: rules
Minimum consumption
Billing
Prescription and forfeiture
Necessary arbitration
VIII – RESOLUTION OF CONSUMER DISPUTES
Means of resolving consumer disputes
Consumer Conflict Arbitration Centres: generic and specific competence; general rules of procedure Consumer rights
Warranty periods
Producer liability
Voluntary guarantees
VI – DISTANCE AND OFF-PREMISES CONTRACTS
Legal framework
Duty of pre-contractual information: requirements; form; effects; consequences
Right of cancellation: time limit; form of exercise; effects; exceptions
Performance of contracts
Connected sales
VII – ESSENTIAL PUBLIC SERVICES
Legal framework
Suspension of service: rules
Minimum consumption
Billing
Prescription and forfeiture
Necessary arbitration
VIII – RESOLUTION OF CONSUMER DISPUTES
Means of resolving consumer disputes
Consumer Conflict Arbitration Centres: generic and specific competence; general rules of procedure
Curricular Unit Teachers
Internship(s)
NAO
Bibliography
Basic bibliography:
CARVALHO, Jorge Morais (2022). Manual de Direito do Consumo, 8ª Edição (reimpressão em 2023), Almedina.
Complementary bibliography:
CEBOLA, Cátia Marques (2022). “Revisitar os Centros de Arbitragem de Conflitos de Consumo em Portugal: evolução recente e tendências de digitalização”, Revista Jurídica Portucalense, n.º Especial, Vol. II, Direito Processual Civil – Os Desafios do Desenvolvimento Sustentável Global e Digital, pp. 23-48.
CEBOLA, Cátia Marques (2022). “A PLATAFORMA ODR NA UNIÃO EUROPEIA: 5 anos depois e um longo caminho ainda a percorrer”, Atas do Congresso “Meios de resolução alternativa de litígios online”, Coord. Rossana Martingo Cruz; Francisco Andrade; Marco Gonçalves, UMinho, pp. 156-194.
FALCÃO, David (2022). Lições de Direito do Consumo, 3ª ed., Almedina.
ANTUNES, José Engrácia (2019). Direito do Consumo, Almedina.