The effects of the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive on Irish law

Abstract

The Unfair Commercial Practices Directive (“UCPD”) is a legal measure of significant import. It establishes a “single general prohibition of unfair commercial practices distorting consumers economic behaviour” across the European Community and unlike most measures previously adopted in this area, which lay down minimum standards with which Member States must comply, it is a maximum harmonisation measure, precluding the adoption by Member States of more restrictive measures in the area regulated. The UCPD was transposed into Irish law by the Consumer Protection Act 2007 (“the CPA”) which came into force on May 1 2007. This thesis examines the UCPD’s ejfects on Irish law.