EU Directive 1999/44/EC and Camera Gear

[Nikon Kid]

I just wondered how this impacts on camera gear and if its been proved in court

"Directive 1999/44/EC, May 1999 from the European Parliament stipulates that by 1st January 2002 all member states must have altered their legislation to comply with new consumer laws. These new laws will ensure that all new consumer goods, including cars, carry at least a two-year warranty and used consumer goods have a minimum of a one-year warranty."

Heres the full Statement

http://www.wak-tt.com/tt/2yearwarranty1.htm

[john-henry]

Seems it is true Terry, I picked it up on the "This is Money" site.

It has been tested, not in court, it hasn't got that far yet, when shown a copy of the law and the UK's acceptance of it several retailers have complied with the 2yr guarantee. I don't think many people know about this so it hasn't been tried extensively.

[macshark]

Canon could argue that DSLRS and SLR lenses are not consumer goods...

On the other hand, two year warranty would be nice.

[Roy C]

This was brought up last week in this (http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?p=1527140#post1527140) thread - check out the link in post #8.

[Nikon Kid]

Thanks Roy, but it was hidden in that thread, at least now anyone seeing this title will get to the other thread and maybe understand their rights under this EU rule

HOORAY hooray for the European Market, I never thought I would say that,

[MSA]

What exasperates me is the total ignorance of the UK's Sale of Goods Act, which states that all goods sold should be of "merchantable quality" - the Courts have decided that this means goods should last for a "reasonable time" as determined by the good old legal standby, the "man on the Clapham omnibus".

If a camera, with reasonable use and care, claps out after a couple of years, this is clearly less than a "reasonable time" and the retailer, under UK law, has an obligation to put this right.

Sadly, to get the retailer to accept this responsibility is difficult. The most important point is to deal with the retailer and not to be fobbed off with requests/instructions to contact the manufacturer (unless the manufacturer is happy to oblige!). Your contract is not with the manufacturer. Be firm and persistent.

The EU legislation does not really add to the UK law, but at least it gives a defined period rather than the woolly "reasonable time".

[pete_gamby]

The main issue with that EU Directive is the wording which points to the defect being inherent in the product at the time of the sale. And proving that was the case, as a consumer, becomes very tricky indeed.

Anything which "goes wrong" later is not covered by that Directive but may be covered by warranty offered by the manufacturer anyway.

[tjsimonsen]

HOORAY hooray for the European Market, I never thought I would say that,

You clearly haven't lived in a country (Denmark) where a new, right-winged government's attempts to send said country's environmental laws and regulations back to the stone-age was only halted by the EU. Back the my opinion was (and haven't changed): Thanks goodness for the EU ;)

Thomas

[Nikon Kid]

You clearly haven't lived in a country (Denmark) where a new, right-winged government's attempts to send said country's environmental laws and regulations back to the stone-age was only halted by the EU. Back the my opinion was (and haven't changed): Thanks goodness for the EU ;)

Thomas

Back in the 70s I would go over to Denmark Course Fishing on the River Guden Magic
BTW also fished in the Lake of the Woods Kenora, Ontario, Canada. in the 60s