Serbian Consumer Law : characteristics and evolution

Vukadinović, Slobodan (2026) Serbian Consumer Law : characteristics and evolution. In: EU Integration Perspectives of the Candidate Countries. Batumi Shota Rustaveli State University, Batumi, pp. 111-142.

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Abstract

The paper proceeds from the legal and political commitment of the Republic of Serbia to harmonise its legislation with that of the European Union, stemming from the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) concluded in 2008. Under the Agreement, Serbia assumed the obligation to ensure a policy of active consumer protection in accordance with the acquis communautaire and to align its consumer protection legislation with the level of protection in force within the European Union. The paper examines the legislative approach to the regulation of the consumer protection system in Serbia, the authorities responsible for its implementation, current challenges, and the present state of consumer rights protection. The analysis of the legal framework starts from the process of constitutionalisation, given that the Constitution of the Republic of Serbia of 2006 contains a specific provision according to which the Republic of Serbia protects consumers. The development of consumer protection law in Serbia is critically analysed through different periods and phases, beginning with the first Consumer Protection Act adopted at the federal level in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in 2002. The paper then examines the innovations introduced by the Consumer Protection Act of 2010, followed by the system established by the Consumer Protection Act of 2014. Particular attention is devoted to the solutions introduced by the Consumer Protection Act of 2021, as well as to the new Consumer Protection Act of 2026. Special consideration is given to the harmonisation of Serbian law with Directives (EU) 2019/770, 2019/771 and 2019/2161. The paper also highlights the decision of the Constitutional Court that annulled the provisions of the Civil Procedure Act governing proceedings for the protection of collective rights and interests, thereby effectively preventing collective consumer actions before Serbian courts.

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