Module 7, School for Consumer Protection and EU Integration, “Consumer protection in the digital age – online services”, 7-8 October 2022

On October 7 and 8, 2022, Module 7 of the School for Consumer Protection and European Integration took place. The project is implemented by the European Movement of Albania in cooperation with the Academy of Political Studies and Alert Center, with the financial support of the European Union as part of IPA 2017 funds framework. The topic of module 7 was on “Consumer protection in the digital age – online services”.

The first session was conducted by Irena Malolli, Director of Policies and Strategies for Telecommunications and Posts Development at the Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy. Malolli started the session discussing the legal aspects of consumer protection in the digital world. How much is the EU and Albania invested in legislation, what are the differences between them and legislation alignment. Ms. Irena focused on telecommunications and data protection in this service, how should data be handled by telephone operators according to the law, as well as comparing the current situation in this service to that of the previous 20 years. At the end of the session, Malolli brought to attention case studies highlighting good practices from the EU.

The second session, lectured by Vilma Tomço, General Director of the National Authority for electronic certification and cyber security, focused on security in the digital and cyber field. Tomço listed some of the main legislations on online security and not only, the steps taken for alignment with EU laws and Albania’s networking with international and European organizations that operate in this field. Ms. Vilma also spoke briefly about the main responsibilities of the institution she represented, the challenges encountered recently and the shortcomings that affect progress. She also discussed the expectations from the Action Plan of the National Strategy for Cyber Security 2020-2025 and how Albanian security systems compare with those of the region.

The third session was led by Neritan Sulaj, Inspector at the Commissioner for the Right to Information and Protection of Personal Data. Sulaj gave a detailed description of the legal aspect of how personal and sensitive data are protected in the digital field and the Commissioner’s contribution as an institution. Mr. Neritan brought to attention some of the cases handled by the Commissioner, their practice and the unfair methods that have been found by different entities. The session was concluded with the analyzation of several cases and court decisions from EU countries against big international entities.

The fourth session was conducted by Junida Tafaj (Katroshi), Coordinator for Financial Training and Education at the Albanian Bank Association. Focusing on online banking services, Tafaj highlighted some of the most important developments that have been made so far by banks in Albania to be more accessible, in accordance with international standards. Ms. Junida also talked about Fintech, a growing industry that facilitates services and communication between customers and banks while bringing a series of innovations to the market. She also explained the strategies that are being implemented or are being drawn up by the Albanian Banks Association for financial culture growth.

The fifth session, with Sami Neza, journalist and lecturer, focused on the media and the consumer, how it affects the market and the safety issues. Neza brought to attention audiovisual services and digitization based on his previous experience and contribution to AMA. He shared some statistics regarding the complaints that the institution receives and how they are managed. Mr. Sami mentioned several cases where the AMA had set limits for advertising in the media after they were found to be unsuitable for the general public.

The last session was directed by Greta Harapaj, from Aladdin Shop. Aladini Shop is an online shopping store that offers consumers a wide range of products. Harapaj showed some statistics about the percentage of Albanian consumers buy online and the level of trust they have in e-commerce. She focused on the latest way of trading, that through social networks, the benefit they bring to the individual and how problematic it is for the advertising and marketing industry. Ms. Greta, shared statistics from Aladin Shop to show the requirements for their business to establish credibility in the market and how the consumer can be protected from unsafe online purchases.