Management of the National Authority for Consumer Protection (ANPC) initiated an online counseling session with the tourism business environment operating on the Black Sea coast, before starting the activity Coastal Command 2024 - specially created structure of ANPC for monitoring the commercial activity, in the summer season, in this area.
In his introduction, Sebastian Hotca, Presidentleinterim of the institution emphasized the importance of the dialogue, collaboration and openness shown by the ANPC and the economic operators from the seashore, in support of respecting the rights of consumers and for their benefit. At the same time, the head of the Authority emphasized the extremely important role of voluntary control, a procedure that economic operators can use, to be sure that their commercial performance is subject to the control requirements of ANPC and that, thus, tourists visiting the coast will be more and more satisfied.
general manager, Paul Angel, a warned, at the opening of his presentation, on made possibleATIII the appearance of false commissioners - a fact that was also reported in the media -, emphasizing that ANPC control teams always present their service ID, and their photo and name can be found on the institution's website, and that, of course, they cannot collect any amount of money, the payment of fines being made by the economic operators in the treasury account mentioned on the record of finding the contravention.
The general manager continued with the presentation the aspectortargeted by the ANPC commissioners, during the checks, details also presented in the control sheets, located on the institution's website, respectively:
- to get or to update operating authorizations of locations
- to verify, from a metrological point of view, the measuring equipment used in the commercial activity
- checking the conformity of food labels which must contain the following mandatory elements, namely:
✓ the name of the food product
✓ list of ingredients
✓ list of allergens
✓ quantity/categories of ingredients
✓ the net quantity of the product
✓ date of minimum durability/use by date
✓ special storage conditions and/or conditions of use
✓ name/trade name and address of the merchant
✓ country of origin/place of provenance
✓ instructions for use
✓ alcohol concentration
✓ nutritional declaration
- verifying information which are mandatory to be present in the menu lists, but by public food establishments a (both in restaurants and for online menu lists):
✓ the name of the culinary preparation
✓ net amount/preparation (valid after thermal preparation)
✓ list of ingredients used in the preparation of preparations
✓ of those with allergenic effects
✓ the selling price
- as regards the labeling of traditional products, it is inappropriate to use, for industrially produced products, phrases such as:
✓ "homemade"
✓ "like home"
✓ "like at mother's house"
✓ "peasant"
✓ "traditional"
✓ "traditional method"
- conditions of storage and display of preparations for sale
✓ hot dishes, at least +600 C
✓ cold dishes, maximum +80 C
- in the case of accommodation units:
✓ mandatory information displayed at reception:classification certificates. or provisional operating authorization, ascertainer certificate, maximum tariffs, the plate with the consumer's phone (from the website www.anpc.ro)
✓ mandatory requirements for accommodation spaces:the equipment of the rooms according to the classification; condition of sleeping accessories (mattress, pillows, protective cover, etc.), bed linen, towels, etc..; the state of cleanliness in the annexes and sanitary groups; providing the materials necessary for personal hygiene at the sanitary groups in the unit; the installation of hot air dryers or paper towel dispensers in the common sanitary groups (textile ones are not allowed)
- in the case of beach operators:
✓ to have the water quality record book
✓ to ensure at least 8 square meters of dry land/person
✓ the beach must be kept permanently clean, be equipped with waste collection containers (at least one container per 250 mXNUMX of the beach)
✓ there should be no solid residues (wood, rubber, etc.), detergents or petroleum products on the beach
✓ the presence of algae or other beach vegetation is allowed only in specially designated places
✓ ensuring the recommended number of sanitary facilities
✓ providing access ramps for people with disabilities
✓ ensuring the quality of the sand, both dry and wet
- in the case of recreational equipment
✓ to make available the operating instructions provided by the manufacturer
✓ to inform consumers, in at least two languages of international circulation, by displaying the name of the equipment, identification data of the owner, how to use, potential dangers
✓ to have the documentation provided by the manufacturer
✓ to carry out repairs and maintenance work on the equipment
✓ to provide authorized service personnel
✓ not to use type warnings "use at your own risk".
During the meeting, it was emphasized that there is a significant improvement in the conditions offered to tourists on the Romanian coast and that economic operators are open to a continuous collaboration with local or central authorities, so that the degree of consumer satisfaction, related to the way in which their rights are respected, is as high as possible.
"I think that all the economic operators understood, during the counseling session, the importance of maintaining the conditions of sale of the products and services they offer to consumers at the highest possible level, so that, mainly, the health and consumer life.
ANPC's role has, in addition to control actions, an important component in terms of informing consumers and advising economic operators, so that this season is as successful as possible for all tourists" - Sebastian Hotca, acting president of ANPC.
