The Armenian parliament’s Economic Affairs Committee on May 5 approved a draft bill introduced by the Ministry of Economy aimed at significantly enhancing consumer rights protection and bringing national legislation in line with European Union standards.

Presenting the bill, Minister of Economy Gevorg Papoyan emphasized that the reform is part of a broader effort to modernize Armenia’s legal framework and improve market fairness. “The entire consumer rights protection legislation is being aligned with the EU legislation,” he told lawmakers.

Key provisions of the bill include:

• A ban on misleading commercial practices, such as displaying fake view counts or inflated ratings on online trading platforms to deceive consumers.
• Restrictions on aggressive marketing tactics, including uninvited home visits, persistent unwanted calls or advertisements, and targeting minors in commercial content.
• The reorganization of the Commission for the Protection of Competition into a new body: the Commission for the Protection of Competition and Consumer Interests, which will have broader oversight powers to enforce consumer protection laws.

Additional regulations are expected to further safeguard consumer interests and increase transparency in advertising, pricing, and product information.

The legislative initiative is seen as an important step toward creating a more secure and consumer-friendly marketplace in Armenia, while also supporting the country’s ambitions for deeper integration with the European Union.