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Consumer's Telegramm European Edition
If you wish to be informed monthly about European consumer news, just subscribe our free newsletter.Consumer's Telegram December 2005
Insert of n. 77 - Editorial office: Centro Europeo Consumatori (European Consumer Centre, Italy)TRAVELLING I
Useful Information for Travellers
Before going on a journey it is always essential to gather information about the living conditions of your holiday destination. The homepage of the Italian Foreign Office in collaboration with the Italian automobile club (ACI) www.viaggiaresicuri.mae.aci.itcan be very useful in this respect.
This online-service provides the consumer with all the necessary information regarding the climate, health care, security, money and especially the conditions of entrance permits/visas, driving papers, passport etc.
These information can help the travellers to avoid annoying situations.
TAVELLING II
Entry conditions of the USA: Further News
So far, Italian citizens could, like the citizens of 26 other states, make use of the so called Visa Waiver Program (VWP). However, due to the intensification of safety measures only those tourists can use the VWP who- possess a passport which is legible mechanically and which is issued before the 25 October 2005
- possess a passport which is legible mechanically issued after the 25 October 2005 and contains a digital photo
Italy has not been able to fulfil the American requirements so far. Therefore, only a special office in Rome is able to produce passports with digital photographs as it has got the necessary technical equipment.
Otherwise you have to get hold of a visa to enter the USA.
STUDY VISIT
"Consumer Rights are Civil Rights"
International Exchange of Experiences on a European level in Bolzano
For the last two weeks the European Consumer Centre (ECC) here in Bolzano has had the opportunity to welcome colleagues from three other European Consumer Centres.The visit of the manageress of the ECC of Lithuania clearly showed that consumer rights are not to be taken for granted at all; the consciousness of having such rights and the readiness to fight for their application still has to be strengthened.
On the 3rd and 4th of November we had two visitors from Germany and France. The meeting was very interesting because of the fact that we found a lot of common interests and similar problems as the town Kehl near Strasbourg has a similar position near the border as Bolzano.
The Case of the Month
In April 2005 a consumer of Cavalese (Italy) had bought three digital cameras at an online company in Germany and had paid for them in advance.When getting the parcel he noticed that one of the three products was missing. Thus, he contacted the German company to report the error and to claim the replacement of the missing camera.
Due to the weight of the parcel the company could immediately exclude a mistake on their part and they advised the consumer to talk to the transport company and claim the loss or theft to them.
Although the consumer took all the necessary steps, the company refused to provide the necessary documents from their part and just stopped answering the consumer’s letters of complaint.
Desperately, he decided to ask the ECC for help. After numerous telephone calls and written contacts the consumer centre was able to secure a positive solution of the problem: in November Mr Vanzo finally got back his money. he was so happy about it that he described the case on his own homepage in order to express his thanks to us.
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ECC
via Brennero 3
I - 39100 Bolzano
tel.: ++39 0471 980939
fax: ++39 0471 980239