3rd Round Table Conference with International Participation on The Sustainable Consumption in Bulgaria – The Voice of Consumers

Thursday, 08 September 2016 17:25

3rd Round Table Conference with international participation on the Sustainable Consumption in Bulgaria – The Voice of Consumers was organized by the Economics of Natural Resources Department. The objective of the Forum was to examine the opinion of experts from the institutions, academic circles, non-governmental organizations and business about the way to make it possible to answer the demands of Bulgarian consumers in the process of elaboration of public policies and law as well as in the sphere of standardization. The event was held under the patronage of the Rector of UNWE Prof. D.Sc.(Econ.) Statty Stattev.

At the opening of the Round Table Conference in the Large Conference Hall of UNWE attended the Rector of UNWE Prof. D.Sc.(Econ.) Statty Stattev, the Vice Rectors Assoc. Prof. Dr. Milanka Slavova, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Stela Raleva and Prof. Dr. Valentin Goev, Engineer Ivelin Burov, Chairman of the Board of Bulgarian Institute for Standardization (BIS), Dimitar Margaritov, Chairman of the Commission for Consumer Protection, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Daniela Ivanova and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Elka Vasileva, moderators of both Conference sessions, Prof. D. Sc.(Econ.) Valentin Kisimov, Director of the Center for Computer Innovative Systems, etc.

Prof. Goev, Assoc. Prof. Slavova, Assoc. Prof. Raleva, Prof. Stattev, Assoc. Prof. Ivanova, Engineer Burov, Assoc. Prof. Vasileva (form the right to the left)

After the past two Round Table Conferences which have been held over the last six years the third Forum gives us an opportunity to discuss how to make it possible to answer the voice of Bulgarian consumers and how the process can be stimulated, pointed out Assoc. Prof. Dr. Daniela Ivanova. I believe that the representatives of non-governmental organizations, state institutions, European organizations, branch organizations and the academic community will express the opinion of interested parties and will consider it in the process of elaboration of policies, strategies and laws, outlined the Forum moderator.

During the Round Table Conference

I agreed to assume the patronage for the Round Table Conference when the Agreement of Cooperation between the UNWE and BIS was signed because I want to be shown that the topic is exclusively important, pointed out Prof. Statty Stattev. That`s why the better we manage to unite the efforts of all the structures related to the consumption the better will become our lives. It needs no evidence, explicitly said the Rector.

In the Agreement we have written some tasks which we implement now. It was also provisioned the opening of Informational Center of Standardization to the University Library providing controlled free access for lecturers, officials, Doctoral students and undergraduates to the electronic fund of BIS where can be found the full text of certain packets of Bulgarian standards, specified Prof. Stattev and pointed out that the Center would soon be opened. 

Prof. Stattev is greeting the participants in the Forum.

The Rector also announced that Agreement of Cooperation would be signed between the UNWE and the Commission for Consumer Protection so both institutions could be able to implement more effective activities and initiatives. In conclusion Prof. Stattev pointed out that he had tried to suggest some ideas for stronger institutionalization of efforts leading to greater comprehension of the issues and solutions.  

The activities and perspectives for the Bulgarian Institute for Standardization were featured by Engineer Ivelin Burov. In his presentation the Chairman of the Management Board of BIS outlined the role of standards for the consumer protection, as well as the procedures on their elaboration and enforcement. He examined our membership in the international organizations for standardization, the voluntary and compulsory standards, etc.

Engineer Ivelin Burov

By the standpoint of the Commission for Consumer Protection its Chairman Dimitar Margaritov spoke about the positive effect of standardization, major consumer rights and market. He examined the modern market, its regulations and deregulations, the control and impose of sanctions, complaints and warnings to the Commission, preventive informational activity and paid special attention to the unfair commercial practices.

Kristina Alexandrova, Expert in Policies and Innovations at the ANEC (European consumer voice in standardisation) presented the organization and its objective to unite the interest of consumers from the particular member-states of the European Union and to protect their interest in the process of elaboration and adoption of European standards.

Kristina Alexandrova and Dimitar Margaritov

Presentations during the Forum were also shown by Hristo Tomov, Chief Expert at the Ministry of Economy, Ignat Arseniev, Director of the European Consumer Centre Bulgaria, Dr. Bogomil Nikolov, Executive Director of Bulgarian National Association of Active Consumers. It was held a conclusive discussion on the Voice of Bulgarian Consumers in the process of creation of public policies, laws and standards.

Participants in the Round Table Conference

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