Egyptian Consumer Protection Law (No. 181 of 2018): Complete English Translation

ARAB REPUBLIC OF EGYPT

LAW NO. 181 OF 2018

Issued on 13 September 2018 | Published on 13 September 2018

Official Gazette, Issue No. 37 (Supplement)

THE CONSUMER PROTECTION LAW

Abd El-Fattah El-Sisi — President of the Republic

PREAMBLE

The House of Representatives having adopted the following Law, We hereby promulgate it:

ENACTMENT PROVISIONS

Article 1 — Enactment

The provisions of the accompanying Law on Consumer Protection shall enter into force.

The provisions of this Law shall not prejudice the provisions of the Competition Protection and Anti-Monopoly Practices Law promulgated by Law No. 3 of 2005, or the National Food Safety Authority Law promulgated by Law No. 1 of 2017.

Article 2 — Enactment

The Economic Courts shall have jurisdiction to adjudicate civil and commercial disputes arising from the application of the provisions of the accompanying Law. The Court of Administrative Justice shall have jurisdiction to adjudicate administrative disputes arising from the application of its provisions.

Article 3 — Enactment

The Executive Regulations of the accompanying Law shall be issued by a decree of the Prime Minister within three months from the date of its entry into force. Until such Regulations are issued, the existing regulations and decisions currently in force shall continue to apply to the extent they do not conflict with the provisions of this Law.

Article 4 — Enactment

The Consumer Protection Law promulgated by Law No. 67 of 2006 is hereby repealed.

Article 5 — Enactment

This Law shall be published in the Official Gazette and shall enter into force upon the expiry of three months from the date of its publication.

This Law shall be sealed with the State Seal and shall be enforced as one of the laws of the State.

PART ONE: DEFINITIONS

Article 1

For the purposes of applying the provisions of this Law, the following words and phrases shall carry the meanings assigned to each of them:

1. Consumer: Any natural or juridical person to whom a product is offered to satisfy non-professional, non-artisanal, or non-commercial needs, or with whom dealings or contracts are concluded in this regard.

2. Authority: The Consumer Protection Authority.

3. Persons: Natural persons and juridical persons, including companies in all their forms, economic entities, associations, unions, foundations, establishments, leagues, financial groupings, and groupings of persons of whatever method of incorporation established by law and concerned with consumer protection, as well as other related parties as determined by the Executive Regulations of this Law.

4. Products: Goods and services provided by persons governed by public or private law, including used goods contracted through a supplier, with the exception of financial and banking services regulated by the Central Bank and Banking Sector Law and the Law on Regulating Supervision of Non-Banking Financial Markets and Instruments.

5. Supplier: Any person engaged in a commercial, industrial, professional, or artisanal activity who provides a service to the consumer, or produces, manufactures, imports, exports, sells, leases, offers, circulates, distributes, or markets a good, with the purpose of providing it to the consumer or entering into dealings or contracts with the consumer in respect thereof, by any means, including electronic means and other modern technological means.

6. Advertiser: Any person who advertises or promotes a good or service — whether personally or through others — using any media or advertising means, including digital means.

The following are also deemed advertisers: the advertising requester, the advertising intermediary, the advertising agency, and the advertising medium, all in accordance with the Egyptian standard specifications relating to the requirements of advertising goods and services.

7. Defect: Any deficiency in the value or utility of any product relative to its intended purpose, necessarily resulting in the consumer’s total or partial deprivation of the benefit of the product for the purpose for which it was designed, including deficiencies arising from errors in the handling or storage of the good, unless the consumer caused such deficiency.

8. Distance Contracting: Operations of offering, selling, or purchasing products using the global information network (the Internet), or any audiovisual or readable communication means, or by telephone or any other means.

9. Competitions: Any act presented to the public — directly or through a media outlet or any other means, under any denomination — that creates in the public the hope of obtaining monetary or in-kind prizes in exchange for bearing financial burdens of any value.

10. Deceptive Conduct: Any act or omission on the part of a producer or advertiser that creates a false or misleading impression on the consumer, or causes the consumer confusion or error.

11. Competent Minister: The Prime Minister.

Article 2

The freedom to engage in economic activity is guaranteed to all. It is prohibited for any person to conclude any agreement or engage in any activity that would impair the fundamental rights of the consumer, in particular:

1. The right to health and safety in the consumer’s ordinary use of products.
2. The right to obtain all correct information and data concerning the services or products the consumer purchases, uses, or which are provided to the consumer.
3. The right to freely choose among products that meet quality standards conforming to specifications and competitive fair prices determined by market mechanisms.
4. The right to the preservation of personal dignity and respect for societal customs and traditions.
5. The right to participate in institutions, councils, and committees whose work relates to consumer protection.
6. The right to institute legal proceedings in respect of any matter that would impair, harm, or restrict consumer rights, through swift and accessible procedures.
7. The right to obtain fair compensation for damages sustained by the consumer or the consumer’s property as a result of the purchase or use of products or the receipt of services.

All of the foregoing is without prejudice to the provisions of the international treaties and agreements in force in the Arab Republic of Egypt.

PART TWO: OBLIGATIONS OF THE SUPPLIER AND ADVERTISER

Chapter One: General Obligations

Article 3

The supplier shall comply with health, safety, and quality rules and standards, and shall guarantee the same to the consumer in respect of the supplier’s products, in accordance with Egyptian standard specifications or, in the absence thereof, international specifications adopted in Egypt.

Article 4

The supplier shall inform the consumer of all material data concerning the products, in particular the product’s origin, price, attributes, and principal characteristics, as well as any other data specified by the Executive Regulations of this Law according to the nature of the product.

Article 5

The supplier shall ensure that all advertisements, data, information, documents, invoices, receipts, and contracts — including electronic records and documents — and any other materials issued by the supplier in dealings with the consumer are written in the Arabic language in legible script.

The supplier shall also be required to include therein the data identifying the supplier, in particular the supplier’s address, means of communication, registration data in the register relevant to the supplier’s activity, and trademark, if any.

Such data may be set out in two or more languages, provided that one of them is the Arabic language.

Article 6

The supplier shall affix to goods the data required by Egyptian standard specifications, or by this Law, or by its Executive Regulations, in the Arabic language in a clear and legible manner, in a manner fulfilling the purpose of such data according to the nature of each product and the method of its advertisement, presentation, or contracting.

Service providers shall clearly specify the data of the service they provide, its advantages, characteristics, and the places and times of its provision.

Article 7

The supplier shall clearly announce the prices of the goods or services it offers or provides, such prices to include any taxes or other financial charges imposed by law, in accordance with the controls set by the Executive Regulations of this Law.

Article 8

It is prohibited to withhold strategic products designated for sale from circulation by concealing them, refraining from offering them for sale, refusing to sell them, or in any other manner.

A decree of the Prime Minister shall be issued determining the strategic products for a specified period of time, and the controls governing their circulation and the competent authority in that regard, and such decree shall be published in two widely circulated daily newspapers.

Holders of strategic products for purposes other than personal use shall be required to notify the competent authority of the goods stored in their possession and the quantities thereof.

Article 9

The supplier or advertiser shall refrain from any deceptive conduct in relation to any of the following elements:

1. The nature of the good or its material attributes or constituent elements or quantity.
2. The origin of the good, its weight, size, method of manufacture, date of production, expiration date, conditions of use, or warnings concerning its use.
3. The characteristics of the product and expected results from its use.
4. The price or the manner of its payment, including any amounts added to the price and in particular the value of value-added taxes.
5. The manufacturer of the good or the provider of the service.
6. The type of service, its place of provision, warnings concerning its use, and its material attributes, whether relating to its quality or the benefits derived from its use.
7. Contractual terms and procedures, after-sales service, and warranty.
8. Prizes, certificates, or quality marks obtained by the product, good, or service.
9. Trademarks, data, or logos.
10. The existence of price reductions contrary to fact.
11. Available quantities of products.

The Executive Regulations of this Law may add further elements.

Article 10

The supplier shall deliver to the consumer an invoice confirming the dealings or contract in respect of the product, including in particular the supplier’s tax registration number, the date of the dealing or contract, the price of the product and its specifications, its nature, type, and quantity, and any other data specified by the Executive Regulations of this Law. The Executive Regulations shall specify the circumstances in which one or more of the foregoing particulars may suffice.

Article 11

If the supplier fails to deliver the invoice in the manner set forth in Article (10) of this Law, the consumer shall have the right to prove the product’s specifications and all other elements of the contract by all means of proof.

Article 12

In the event of an agreement to reserve a product, the supplier shall be required to deliver to the consumer a receipt evidencing the reservation, specifying the product’s characteristics, attributes, and any other material data as determined by the Executive Regulations of this Law according to the nature of the product and contract.

Article 13

It is prohibited to import, produce, circulate, or advertise products in a manner that would discriminate against or offend citizens, or that would violate the rules of public order or public morals.

Article 14

Competitions may not be advertised by any means without prior notification to the Authority of the data specified by the Executive Regulations of this Law, at least three days before the date of the advertisement. The Authority may suspend the competition and any related advertisements if it determines that the competition lacks seriousness, is deceptive, or that its advertisement contravenes the provisions of Article (13) of this Law.

The suspension order shall be issued in accordance with the rules and procedures stipulated in Article (57) thereof.

Article 15

It is prohibited to advertise the reservation of real estate units, to contract for their sale, or to sell or subdivide land designated for construction, unless a building permit has been obtained in accordance with the provisions of the Building Law promulgated by Law No. 119 of 2008.

The contract may not include any condition entitling the seller or the seller’s successors to receive a percentage, fees, or commission from the price of the buyer’s disposition of the real estate unit or in consideration of such disposition.

Any condition contravening the foregoing shall be null and void.

Article 16

Suppliers are prohibited from visiting residential units to offer or sell products without a prior and express request from the consumer, in accordance with the procedures determined by the Executive Regulations of this Law.

Article 17

The consumer shall have the right to exchange a good or return it and recover its monetary value, without giving any reasons and without bearing any expenses, within fourteen days from receipt thereof, without prejudice to any legal or contractual warranties or conditions more favorable to the consumer. The Authority may set shorter periods having regard to the nature of certain goods.

By way of exception to the provisions of the first paragraph of this Article, the consumer may not exercise the right of exchange or return in the following cases:

1. If the nature, characteristics, or method of packaging or wrapping of the good precludes its exchange or return, or makes it impossible to return the good to the condition it was in at the time of contracting.
2. If the good is among perishable consumer goods.
3. If the good is not in the same condition as at the time of sale for a reason attributable to the consumer.
4. If the good is among goods manufactured according to special specifications determined by the consumer and the good conforms to those specifications.
5. Books, newspapers, and periodicals, as well as computer software and similar items.

The Executive Regulations of this Law may add further cases.

Article 18

The supplier shall be required to post, in a prominent place within the product display or sales premises, a statement setting out the consumer’s rights of exchange and return approved by the Authority and provided for in this Law and its Executive Regulations.

The supplier is prohibited from making the sale of products conditional upon a condition contrary to trade custom, or on the sale of a specific quantity, or from tying the sale to the purchase of other products, or from imposing any similar conditions.

Article 19

The supplier shall, within a maximum period of seven days from the supplier’s discovery or knowledge of a defect in the product, notify the Authority of such defect and its potential consequences.

If the defect is likely to cause harm to the health or safety of the consumer, the supplier shall be required to notify the Authority of such defect immediately upon its discovery or upon the supplier’s knowledge thereof, and to announce the suspension of the production or handling of the product and to warn consumers against its use through various media.

In either of the cases referred to above, the supplier shall be required to remedy the defect, or exchange the product, or retrieve it and refund its value, without any additional cost to the consumer.

The resumption of production or dealings in the product by the supplier shall only occur following the approval of the Authority.

The Executive Regulations of this Law shall specify the procedures required in this regard.

Article 20

The supplier shall guarantee the quality and safety of the product subject to the contract throughout the warranty period, and shall also guarantee the conformity of the specifications upon which the contract was concluded.

Article 21

The consumer shall have the right, within thirty days from receipt of the good, to exchange it or return it and recover its monetary value, if the good is defective, non-conforming with specifications, or non-conforming with the purpose for which it was contracted.

The supplier shall, upon the request of the consumer and in such cases, be required to exchange the good or retrieve it and refund its value without any additional cost to the consumer, all without prejudice to any legal or contractual warranties or conditions more favorable to the consumer, or to any shorter periods set by the Authority having regard to the nature of the good.

The Executive Regulations of this Law shall specify the provisions and procedures required in this regard.

Article 22

The supplier shall warrant durable goods against manufacturing defects for a minimum period of two years from the date of the consumer’s receipt of the good, without prejudice to any legal or contractual warranties or conditions more favorable to the consumer.

A decree of the Prime Minister shall be issued, upon the proposal of the Minister responsible for industry affairs, determining durable goods in accordance with the criteria specified by the Executive Regulations of this Law.

In the case of products requiring installation or operation by the supplier, the warranty period shall be calculated from the date of actual installation or operation, with a maximum limit of two months from the date of the consumer’s receipt of the product, and the supplier shall be required to deliver to the consumer a receipt specifying the date of actual operation.

Article 23

The warranty shall cover inspection, examination, and repair works, and original spare parts, in addition to the assumption of travel expenses for technicians and transportation costs of the product — when repair is required — from the consumer’s premises to the company or service center and its return to the consumer’s premises after repair, including installation and operation expenses.

The supplier shall be required, during the warranty period, to inform the consumer of the scheduled maintenance periods, and to deliver to the consumer a receipt specifying the repair and maintenance work performed. If the supplier fails to repair the product, the supplier shall be required to replace the good with a new one of the same type and specifications, or to refund its value, all in accordance with the periods and conditions specified by the Executive Regulations of this Law.

Article 24

If the same defect in the good recurs more than twice during the first year from the date of the consumer’s receipt thereof, in a manner that materially affects the quality of the functional performance of the good, the supplier shall be required to replace it with a new one of the same type and specifications without any cost to the consumer, or to retrieve it and refund its value, unless the Authority determines a shorter period having regard to the nature of the good, all in accordance with the provisions of the Executive Regulations of this Law.

Article 25

The service supplier shall be required to refund the consideration for the service, or such amount as makes good the deficiency therein, or to re-provide the service to the consumer in the event of the existence of a defect or deficiency therein, in accordance with its nature, the terms of contracting, and trade custom, or to implement the decision of the Authority in the event of a dispute.

Article 26

A supplier of finishing, maintenance, and domestic installation services shall warrant the fitness of the works performed and the products supplied for a minimum period of one year, unless the Authority determines a shorter period having regard to the nature of the works or products. The warranty period shall be three years at minimum if the defect is attributable to fraud or gross negligence.

The supplier shall be required, upon the satisfaction of the conditions of liability for unfitness, to re-provide the service, or to refund its consideration, or such amount as makes good the deficiency therein, and to exchange the products supplied or refund their value, or to implement the decision of the Authority in the event of a dispute.

A supplier of finishing, maintenance, and domestic installation services shall be required to deliver to the consumer, at the time of contracting and before commencing the contracted works, a receipt evidencing the dealings and their specifications and the expected cost, as well as any other data specified by the Executive Regulations of this Law.

The Executive Regulations of this Law shall specify the circumstances in which one or more of the foregoing particulars may suffice, according to the nature of the product and trade custom. If the supplier fails to deliver the receipt in the manner set out in the foregoing paragraph, the consumer shall have the right to prove all elements of the contract by all means of proof.

Article 27

The producer shall be liable for all damage caused or occasioned by the product if it is proven that the damage arose as a result of a defect in the product attributable to its design, manufacture, or installation.

The supplier shall be liable for all damage caused or occasioned by the product attributable to its incorrect use if it is proven that the damage was caused by the supplier’s failure to exercise sufficient precaution to prevent the occurrence of the damage or to warn of the possibility of its occurrence.

The distributor or seller shall be liable for all damage caused or occasioned by the product if it is proven that the damage arose as a result of a defect attributable to the manner in which it was prepared for consumption, stored, packaged, handled, or displayed.

In all cases, the liability of suppliers shall be joint and several.

Article 28

Any condition appearing in a contract, document, instrument, or any other material relating to a contract with a consumer shall be null and void if it would reduce any of the supplier’s obligations provided for in this Law or its Executive Regulations, or would exempt the supplier from such obligations.

Article 29

The supplier who has concluded the contract shall be required to safeguard the information and personal data of the consumer, and not to circulate or disclose such data in a manner contrary to the provisions of this Law or the relevant laws, unless the consumer’s express consent thereto is established. The supplier shall also be required to take all necessary precautions to maintain the confidentiality and privacy of such data and information.

The Attorney General, or whoever is delegated by the Attorney General from among Public Counsel at minimum, may — whether on the Attorney General’s own initiative or upon the request of an official authority or any interested party — order access to or the obtaining of any data or information relating to a consumer if this is required to uncover the truth in a felony or misdemeanor in respect of which serious indications of occurrence exist.

In all cases, the competent court may access such data or information in connection with a dispute submitted before it.

Chapter Two: Special Provisions for Certain Contracts

Article 30

In the case of installment sale, the supplier shall be required to deliver to the consumer an invoice or instrument containing the following data:

1. The total sale price.
2. The cash price of the product.
3. The annual return and the total return due for the installment period.
4. The amount required to be paid by the consumer in advance, if any.
5. The entity providing the product on installments, the duration thereof, the number of installments, and the value of each installment.
6. The rights and obligations of both the consumer and the supplier in the event of breach of the terms of the agreement by either party.

Article 31

The consumer shall have the right at any time to pay all installments before their due date, provided that the return due for the remaining period is deducted from the amount paid, unless otherwise agreed.

Article 32

In the case of a timeshare contract, or partial ownership participation, the consumer shall have the right to withdraw from the contract within fourteen days from the date of its execution without giving reasons and without bearing any expenses, without prejudice to the laws or decisions regulating such contracts.

The provisions of this Law shall apply to contracts of partial ownership or any other similar timeshare arrangements.

Article 33

Service and maintenance centers shall be required to notify the consumer of a statement of the maintenance and repair works required for the product, the duration of the repair, and its cost, and must obtain the consumer’s express approval for such works prior to their commencement.

Such centers shall also be required to issue the consumer an invoice clearly specifying the maintenance works performed and the parts of the product replaced.

The centers referred to shall warrant the safety of the product within the scope of the repair service in accordance with the nature of the service, the terms of contracting, or the minimum warranty limits specified by the Executive Regulations of this Law.

Such centers shall also be required, upon the satisfaction of the conditions of liability for the safety of the repair, either to refund the consideration received for the service or to re-provide the service without any additional cost to the consumer, unless the defect arose due to a foreign cause or the consumer’s own fault.

Article 34

The supplier shall be required to provide service, maintenance, and repair centers and original or certified spare parts for imported or locally produced goods.

The supplier shall be required to notify the Authority of the certified service and maintenance centers and of any changes thereto, in the manner determined by the Executive Regulations of this Law.

The Board of Directors of the Authority shall, by a decision issued after consulting the relevant business federations, determine the timeframe for fulfilling the obligation set out in the first paragraph of this Article and the goods exempted from it by reason of their nature or trade custom.

Article 35

In the case of the sale of used goods, the supplier shall be required to inform the consumer of the condition of the good and any defects therein, in the manner set out in the Executive Regulations of this Law.

In the case of the sale of used vehicles, the supplier shall be required to provide the consumer with a technical report on the condition of the vehicle and its defects issued by a service center licensed to carry out such activity, unless otherwise agreed.

The liability of the supplier and the service center issuing the report shall be joint and several if it is established that either of them intentionally concealed material data affecting the purchase price or the completion of the sale transaction, or if the failure to include such data in the inspection report was attributable to gross negligence on the part of either of them.

Chapter Three: Distance Contracting

Article 36

The provisions of this Chapter shall not apply to contracts concluded between a consumer and a supplier or advertiser, as the case may be, in the following two cases:

1. Banking, financial, and capital market-related services.
2. Subscription contracts for newspapers and other periodicals.

The Executive Regulations of this Law may add further cases to be excluded from the application of the provisions of this Chapter.

Article 37

Prior to concluding a distance contract, the supplier shall be required to provide the consumer, clearly and expressly, with the information and data enabling the consumer to make the contracting decision, in particular:

1. Data identifying the supplier, including the name, address, telephone number, and email address if any, the commercial registration number and tax card, whether the supplier belongs to a legally organized profession and the supplier’s professional capacity and the name of the professional body or organization in which the supplier is registered or enrolled, in addition to any information enabling the identification of the manufacturer or importer, as the case may be.
2. Data concerning the product offered, including its origin, attributes, and material characteristics, the method of its use, and the risks that may arise from such use, if any.
3. The price of the product and all amounts that may be added to the price, in particular duties, taxes, and shipping costs.
4. The duration of the offer.
5. The warranty provided by the supplier.
6. Post-contract services, if any.
7. The duration of the offer for services provided on a periodic basis.
8. The delivery date and place, and expenses due upon delivery.
9. The provisions governing withdrawal from the contract, in particular the period during which the consumer may withdraw therefrom.
10. Data concerning the maintenance center and the manner of performing maintenance for goods specified by this Law.
11. Contract data to be sent to the consumer upon completion of the contracting process.

Any other data safeguarding consumer rights as specified by the Executive Regulations of this Law.

Article 38

If the consumer expresses acceptance of a distance contract, such acceptance shall be confirmed and the consumer shall be afforded the right to correct or modify the order within seven working days from acceptance, unless the parties agree on a longer period, in the circumstances and manner set out by the Executive Regulations of this Law.

Except in circumstances excluded by a decision of the Board of Directors of the Authority by reason of the nature of the contract or applicable trade custom, the supplier shall be required to send the consumer a written notification immediately upon contracting, containing the offer data referred to in Article (37) of this Law and all other terms of the contract. Such notification may be sent by email or any other electronic medium capable of storage and retention, and the notification may not contain data different from that included in the supplier’s offer.

Article 39

The supplier shall comply, in distance contracting and in matters not specifically governed by this Chapter, with all provisions of this Law.

Article 40

Without prejudice to any legal or contractual warranties or conditions more favorable to the consumer, a consumer who contracts at a distance shall have the right to withdraw from the contract within fourteen days from receipt of the good.

In such case, the supplier shall be required to refund the amount paid by the consumer by the same payment method, unless another method of refund is agreed, within a period not exceeding seven days from the date of the return of the product in the case of goods, or from the date of contracting in the case of services. The consumer shall bear the shipping and product return costs, unless the contract provides otherwise.

If the supplier delays the delivery of the product beyond the agreed date, or fails to deliver it within thirty days if no delivery date was agreed, the consumer shall have the right to withdraw from the contract, without any expenses, within fourteen days from the date of delay or from the date of receipt, whichever is longer, provided that the supplier is notified thereof. In such case, the supplier shall be required to refund the amount paid by the consumer immediately upon notification of withdrawal from the contract, in the manner and within the periods set out in the foregoing paragraphs, as applicable, and the supplier shall bear all return shipping and delivery costs.

All of the foregoing in accordance with the procedures specified by the Executive Regulations of this Law.

Article 41

The consumer’s right of withdrawal provided for in Article (40) of this Law shall lapse in the following cases:

1. If the consumer has fully availed the service before the expiry of the prescribed withdrawal period.
2. If the agreement relates to goods manufactured upon the consumer’s request or according to specifications determined by the consumer.
3. If the agreement relates to video cassettes, discs, compact discs, computer software, or printed materials whose packaging has been removed by the consumer.
4. If a defect in the good results from improper handling by the consumer.
5. In circumstances where a request for withdrawal is considered inconsistent with the nature of the product, or contrary to trade custom, or constitutes an abuse by the consumer of the right of withdrawal, all in the manner determined by the Executive Regulations of this Law.

PART THREE: THE CONSUMER PROTECTION AUTHORITY

Article 42

The Consumer Protection Authority is the authority competent to apply the provisions of this Law. It shall enjoy public juridical personality, shall be subject to the Competent Minister, and its principal seat shall be in the City of Cairo. The Authority may establish branches in all governorates, and may seek the assistance of consumer protection associations in the governorates in exercising its competences.

Article 43

The Authority aims at protecting the consumer and safeguarding the consumer’s interests, and for the purposes of achieving the foregoing, the Authority shall have the following powers:

1. Developing plans and work programs for the protection, promotion, and advancement of consumer rights, and means of achieving the same.
2. Disseminating a culture of consumer protection and making it accessible to citizens.
3. Receiving complaints and notifications of all types in the field of consumer protection from consumers and associations, investigating them, and referring the matter accordingly. The Executive Regulations of this Law shall determine the time limit for responding to complaints by commodity group, with a maximum of thirty days.
4. Coordinating with the various state authorities to apply the provisions of this Law, in particular the Competition Protection and Anti-Monopoly Practices Authority. Such authorities shall be required to provide the data and technical advice requested by the Authority in matters related to the provisions of this Law, without prejudice to other laws, in the manner determined by the Executive Regulations of this Law.
5. Studying the proposals and recommendations submitted to the Authority in connection with consumer rights, and preparing related research and studies.
6. Coordinating, cooperating, and providing technical support to the departments and sectors concerned with complaints from consumers, users, citizens, and clients in various authorities, offices, agencies, and ministries, and exchanging studies and research relevant to the application of the provisions of this Law.
7. Supporting the activities of civil organizations concerned with consumer protection, technically and legally.
8. Cooperating with regulatory authorities in market discipline and combating any violation of the provisions of this Law.
9. Developing training programs to qualify those involved in the field of consumer protection.
10. Enhancing cooperation in the field of consumer protection domestically and internationally, and taking proactive measures and early warning actions to detect any potential harm to the consumer.
11. Expressing opinions on legislation, policies, and decisions that would affect consumer rights, whether on the Authority’s own initiative or at the request of the relevant authorities. The relevant authorities shall be required to seek the opinion of the Authority on draft laws and regulations relating to consumer rights.
12. Instituting civil actions related to the collective interests of consumers, or intervening in such actions, in accordance with the provisions of the laws governing legal proceedings before courts.

Article 44

The resources of the Authority shall consist of the following:

1. Appropriations allocated to it in the general state budget.
2. Gifts, grants, and subsidies accepted by the Authority in accordance with the law and in a manner not conflicting with its objectives.
3. Gifts, grants, and international subsidies directed toward areas of consumer rights as allocated by the State to the Authority.
4. An amount equivalent to twenty-five percent (25%) of the monetary proceeds from settlements in cases of violation of this Law.
5. The proceeds of the fees prescribed pursuant to this Law.
6. Consideration for works, studies, and services rendered by the Authority, subject to the provisions of Article (45) of this Law.

Article 45

The Authority shall have an independent annual budget commencing at the beginning of the State’s fiscal year and ending at its conclusion. Any surplus from its resources shall revert to the State’s public treasury.

Subject to the provisions of Article (53) of this Law, the Authority may not charge any consideration for the complaints it receives from consumers or for the procedures it takes in respect thereof, and the Authority’s employees may not receive incentives or bonuses from the proceeds of fines or from the proceeds of the gifts and grants received by the Authority.

Article 46

The Chairman of the Authority shall be appointed by a decree of the President of the Republic or whoever is delegated thereby, upon the recommendation of the Competent Minister, specifying the Chairman’s salary and allowances.

The Authority shall have a Board of Directors chaired by the Chairman of the Authority and including the following members:

A full-time Deputy Chairman of the Authority from among persons of expertise.

A Deputy President of the State Council, selected by the President of the Council.

A representative of the Ministry responsible for foreign trade affairs, selected by the Minister thereof.

A representative of the Ministry responsible for supply and domestic trade affairs, selected by the Minister thereof.

A representative of the Ministry responsible for finance affairs, selected by the Minister thereof.

A representative of the Ministry responsible for industry affairs, selected by the Minister thereof.

A representative of the General Administration for Supply and Domestic Trade Police, selected by the Minister of Interior.

A representative of the National Food Safety Authority, selected by the Head of the Authority.

A member each from the associations of Upper Egypt, Greater Cairo, Lower Egypt, the Canal Zone, the Red Sea, and the two Sinai governorates, all in accordance with the procedures determined by the Executive Regulations of this Law.

A representative of the Specific Union for Consumer Protection, selected by its Board of Directors.

A representative of the Central Cooperative Consumer Union, selected by its Board of Directors.

A representative of the General Union of Chambers of Commerce and a representative of the Federation of Egyptian Industries, each selected by the Board of Directors of the respective federation.

The term of the Board shall be four years, renewable once. The composition of the Board, and the determination of the financial treatment of the Deputy Chairman of the Authority and the members of the Board of Directors, shall be established by a decision of the Competent Minister.

Article 47

The Board of Directors of the Authority is the supreme authority overseeing its affairs. It may take such decisions as it deems appropriate for the achievement of its objectives and shall exercise its competences in the manner provided for in this Law, and shall have in particular the following powers:

1. Issuing regulations governing its operations and organizing its technical secretariat and financial and administrative affairs, without being bound by governmental regulations. Such regulations shall be issued by a decision of the Competent Minister.
2. Accepting gifts, grants, subsidies, and donations presented to the Authority in accordance with the law and in a manner not conflicting with its competences.
3. Approving the draft annual budget and the final accounts of the Authority.
4. Proposing the names of Authority employees to be granted the judicial police powers necessary for the application of the provisions of this Law.
5. Considering the reports submitted by the Chairman of the Authority on the progress of its work, and the decisions and procedures required by the work.

Article 48

The Board of Directors shall convene upon the invitation of its Chairman at least once each month and whenever necessity requires, and the Board may be invited to convene upon the request of two-thirds of its members. Its meetings shall be valid when ten members are present, and its decisions shall be taken by a majority of the votes of those present. In the event of a tie, the side on which the Chairman stands shall prevail.

The decisions of the Board shall be operative without the need for approval or ratification. The Board may invite to attend its sessions such persons of expertise as it deems appropriate to consult, without such persons having a counted vote.

The Chairman or any member of the Board may not participate in deliberations or vote in any case submitted to the Board in which such person, or whoever such person represents, has an interest, or in which there is a dispute between such person and one of the parties or one of such person’s relatives up to the fourth degree, or in which such person has represented or currently represents one of the parties concerned.

The Executive Regulations of this Law shall organize the procedures required in cases of conflict of interest.

Article 49

The Authority shall have a full-time Executive Director, whose appointment and financial treatment shall be established by a decision of the Competent Minister upon the nomination of the Board of Directors of the Authority. The Executive Regulations of this Law shall specify the competences of the Executive Director. The term of appointment shall be two years, renewable. The Executive Director shall attend the meetings of the Board of Directors without having a counted vote.

Article 50

The Chairman of the Board of Directors shall represent the Authority before the judiciary and in its dealings with third parties, shall be responsible for implementing the decisions of the Board and administering the affairs of the Authority and developing its working systems, and may delegate the Deputy Chairman, the Executive Director, or any other person deemed appropriate, in respect of certain competences. In the event of the Chairman’s absence or the position becoming vacant, the Deputy Chairman shall temporarily assume the role.

Article 51

Authority employees and other civilian state employees as determined by a decision of the Minister of Justice upon the proposal of the Authority’s Board of Directors shall be vested with judicial police powers in the application of the provisions of this Law, the Fraud and Adulteration Suppression Law No. 48 of 1941, and Legislative Decree No. 95 of 1945 on Supply Affairs.

Judicial police officers shall have the right to access — at any governmental or non-governmental entity — all books, documents, and to obtain all information and data necessary for the examination of cases referred to the Authority.

For this purpose, they shall have the right of access to all premises designated for the sale or storage of products subject to the provisions of this Law, and they may take samples of such products, examine them, and have them analyzed in the laboratories specified by the regulations and decisions issued in execution of the provisions of this Law, and in accordance with the procedures prescribed therein.

Article 52

In cases where a dispute arises between the supplier and the consumer or the advertiser regarding the application of the provisions of this Law, or regarding the consumer’s right to exchange or return the value of the good in the cases provided for in this Law, the matter shall be referred to the Authority to issue a binding decision in this regard.

The Authority may issue a decision to exchange the good, or to refund its value at the purchase price from the date of the consumer’s submission of the complaint plus the return due in accordance with the rate announced by the Central Bank, or to refund the market value of the good, all in accordance with the controls and procedures determined by the Executive Regulations of this Law.

The Board of Directors of the Authority may form committees to examine disputes arising between consumers and suppliers or advertisers resulting from the application of the provisions of this Law, and to issue the necessary recommendations in this regard to the Authority. Such committee may seek the assistance of whomever it deems appropriate in carrying out its work, without such persons having a counted vote.

Article 53

The Authority shall have the right to direct the parties to a complaint to have the product subject to the complaint examined technically at an accredited laboratory or body when necessary. The Authority shall determine the party bearing the costs of the technical examination or inspections.

Article 54

The supplier and the advertiser shall be required to provide the Authority with any data, papers, or documents it requests to exercise its competences, within the time limits determined by the Executive Regulations of this Law.

Article 55

Authority employees are prohibited from disclosing information or divulging data and sources thereof relating to specific cases governed by the provisions of this Law, which are submitted or circulated during the examination of such cases and the taking of procedures and issuance of decisions in respect thereof.

Such information, data, and their sources may not be used for purposes other than those for which they were submitted. Authority employees are also prohibited from undertaking any work for persons subject to examination for a period of two years from the date of the examination.

Article 56

Upon establishing a violation of the provisions of this Law, the Authority shall require the violator to rectify the violator’s position and remedy the violation within a period of time determined by the Authority’s Board of Directors, without prejudice to the provisions of liability arising from such violations.

If the violation has resulted, or is likely to result, in any harm to the health or safety of the consumer, the Authority’s Board of Directors may, in accordance with the rules set out in the Executive Regulations of this Law, issue a decision to suspend the provision of the service, or to place a hold on the goods subject to the violation pending the conclusion of investigations or a judicial order or judgment in the matter. The Authority shall take the necessary measures to inform consumers of the violation.

Article 57

In cases of violation of Articles (9) and (14) of this Law, the Authority may request the supplier and the advertiser to correct or modify the deceptive or misleading advertisement. If the party fails to make the correction within three days from the date of the request, or if the product advertised poses a danger to the health or safety of the consumer, or if the advertisement contravenes the provisions of Article (13) of this Law, the Authority may take the necessary measures to temporarily suspend the advertisement for a period not exceeding seven days. In such case, the Authority shall be required to prepare a report recording the procedures taken and their justifications, and to submit it to the competent Public Prosecution within forty-eight hours from the date of the suspension of the advertisement.

The Public Prosecution shall submit the report to the competent Court of Appeals sitting in chambers within twenty-four hours, together with a memorandum of its opinion. The court shall issue a provisional decision in respect of the report within a period not exceeding seventy-two hours from the date of its submission, either affirming the procedures taken to suspend the advertisement or annulling them. The court shall decide on the continuation of the measures issued by the Authority to suspend the advertisement whenever it deems there is cause to adjourn the consideration of the report.

If the Authority fails to submit the report referred to in the preceding paragraph within the specified period, its decision to suspend the advertisement shall be deemed as if it had not been issued.

The provisional order issued by the court in respect of the report shall lapse upon the issuance of an order by the Public Prosecution that there is no cause to institute criminal proceedings, or upon the issuance of a final judgment of acquittal.

Article 58

Subject to any specific provision in this Law, the decisions issued by the Authority in application of the provisions of this Law shall be final, and challenges thereto shall be brought before the Court of Administrative Justice.

Challenges to the decisions referred to herein shall be excluded from the application of the provisions of Law No. 7 of 2000 on the establishment of conciliation committees in certain disputes to which ministries and public juridical persons are parties.

Article 59

The Board of Directors of the Authority may, with the approval of the majority of its members, settle with the accused in the offenses provided for in this Law — provided that no injuries or deaths to consumers have resulted therefrom and provided that the causes of the violation are remedied — as follows:

1. Settlement may be concluded prior to the referral of the criminal case to the competent court in exchange for the payment of an amount not less than the minimum and not exceeding one-third of the maximum fine prescribed.
2. Settlement may be concluded following the referral of the criminal case to the competent court and until the issuance of a final judgment in exchange for the payment of an amount not less than three times the minimum fine prescribed and not exceeding half of the maximum thereof.

Settlement shall result in the extinguishment of the criminal case.

Article 60

The Authority shall establish a program to be named the ‘Consumer Friend’ program, in which a supplier may enroll upon the supplier’s request, and shall be granted a certificate to be named the ‘Consumer Friend Certificate’ covering the period of one year prior to the submission of the application, provided that the supplier has complied with the provisions of this Law and its Executive Regulations.

The Authority shall have the right to withdraw such certificate immediately upon becoming aware that the supplier has been established to have violated any of the conditions for its issuance.

The Executive Regulations of this Law shall specify the conditions and controls for the issuance of the certificate and the fees for its issuance, proportionate to the size and nature of the activity of the establishment subject to evaluation, not exceeding twenty thousand Egyptian Pounds per retail unit of the supplier.

Article 61

Interested parties among those involved in a complaint shall have the right to obtain an official certificate specifying the outcome of the complaint procedures and copies of the relevant technical reports. The Executive Regulations of this Law shall specify the controls for issuing such certificate and the fees for its issuance, not exceeding two hundred Egyptian Pounds.

PART FOUR: CIVIL ASSOCIATIONS CONCERNED WITH CONSUMER PROTECTION

Article 62

Without prejudice to the competences of associations established or whose objectives and aims include consumer protection pursuant to the Associations Law, such associations shall, in cooperation with the Authority, have the following competences:

1. Instituting legal proceedings on behalf of consumers collectively, or intervening in such proceedings, in accordance with the procedures prescribed in the laws governing legal proceedings.
2. Conducting surveys and comparisons of product prices and quality and verifying the accuracy of the data relating thereto, monitoring supplier compliance with announced prices, and following up on advertisements issued by suppliers and advertisers and notifying the relevant authorities of any violations in this regard.
3. Providing information to the competent governmental authorities on issues relating to consumer rights and interests, and submitting proposals for their resolution.
4. Receiving consumer complaints, verifying them, and working with the Authority to remove their causes.
5. Assisting consumers who have suffered harm arising from the use, purchase, or receipt of a good or service in submitting complaints to the competent authorities and taking the necessary legal measures to protect their rights and interests.
6. Contributing to the dissemination of a culture of consumer rights and raising citizens’ awareness of their rights, and establishing databases necessary for these associations to carry out their competences.
7. Providing advice to consumers concerning consumer protection and establishing relevant centers in various cities and governorates.

Consumer protection associations and the Specific Union of such associations are prohibited from receiving grants, gifts, or donations from suppliers or advertisers.

PART FIVE: PENALTIES

Article 63

Without prejudice to any more severe penalty provided for in any other law and without prejudice to the right to compensation, the acts set out in the following articles shall be penalized with the penalties specified therein.

Article 64

A fine of not less than ten thousand Egyptian Pounds and not exceeding five hundred thousand Egyptian Pounds, or the equivalent of the value of the product subject to the violation, whichever is greater, shall be imposed on any supplier who violates the provisions of any of the following articles: (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 12, 14, 16, 18, 21, 35, 38, 40 first and second paragraphs, 55, 56 first paragraph, 62 final paragraph) of this Law.

The same penalty shall be imposed on any person who violates the decisions issued pursuant to Article (33, first paragraph) of this Law. The court may also order the closure of the violating service and maintenance center for a period not exceeding six months.

Article 65

A fine of not less than thirty thousand Egyptian Pounds and not exceeding one million Egyptian Pounds, or twice the value of the product subject to the violation, whichever is greater, shall be imposed on any supplier who violates the provisions of any of the following articles: (10, 20, 22, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 31, 33 second and third paragraphs, 40 third paragraph) of this Law.

Article 66

A fine of not less than fifty thousand Egyptian Pounds and not exceeding two million Egyptian Pounds, or twice the value of the product subject to the violation, whichever is greater, shall be imposed on any supplier who violates the provisions of any of the following articles: (9, 13, 15 first paragraph, 32, 34, 56 second paragraph) of this Law.

Article 67

A fine of not less than twenty thousand Egyptian Pounds and not exceeding five hundred thousand Egyptian Pounds shall be imposed on any person who commits any of the following acts:

1. Obstructs judicial police officers empowered to enforce the provisions of this Law from performing their duties.
2. Refuses to provide the Authority with the data, papers, or documents provided for in Article (54) of this Law.
3. Provides the Authority with inaccurate data, papers, or documents with knowledge of their inaccuracy.

Article 68

A fine of not less than fifty thousand Egyptian Pounds and not exceeding one million Egyptian Pounds, or twice the amount agreed with the advertising medium in consideration for the violating advertisement, whichever is greater, shall be imposed on any person who refuses to implement the decision issued to suspend the advertisement pursuant to the provisions of Article (57) of this Law.

Article 69

In the event of recidivism in respect of any of the offenses penalized in the preceding articles of this Law, the fine shall be doubled at both its minimum and maximum levels.

Article 70

A fine of not less than fifty thousand Egyptian Pounds and not exceeding two million Egyptian Pounds, or the equivalent of the value of the goods subject to the offense, whichever is greater, shall be imposed on any person who violates the provisions of Article (19) of this Law.

If the violation of the provisions of said Article results in exposing the consumer’s life to danger, or in the consumer’s infection with a chronic or incurable disease, the penalty shall be imprisonment and a fine of not less than one hundred thousand Egyptian Pounds and not exceeding two million Egyptian Pounds, or either of such two penalties.

Article 71

[Final text of the Article as amended by Article 1 of Law No. 20 of 2024 amending certain provisions of the Consumer Protection Law promulgated by Law No. 181 of 2018, issued on 05 April 2024, published on 05 April 2024 in the Official Gazette, Issue No. 14 (Bis), effective as of 06 April 2024]

Any person who violates the provisions of Article (8) of this Law shall be punished with imprisonment for a period not less than one year and a fine of not less than one hundred and fifty thousand Egyptian Pounds and not exceeding three million Egyptian Pounds, or the equivalent value of the goods subject to the offense, whichever is greater.

In the event of recidivism, the offender shall be punished with imprisonment for a period not less than two years and not exceeding five years and the fine shall be doubled at both its minimum and maximum levels.

In all cases, the items subject to the offense shall be seized and confiscated, and an order shall be issued closing the establishment or premises in which the offense was committed for a period not exceeding six months. The judgment shall be published in two widely circulated daily newspapers at the expense of the convicted person.

The court may also order the revocation of the license of the establishment or premises in which the offense was committed.

Article 72

If a violation of any provision of this Law results in a person sustaining a permanent disability or contracting a chronic or incurable disease, the penalty shall be imprisonment and a fine of not less than one hundred thousand Egyptian Pounds and not exceeding one million Egyptian Pounds, or the equivalent value of the good subject to the offense, whichever is greater.

If the court deems it appropriate to apply the provisions of Article (17) of the Penal Code, the custodial penalty may not, in such case, be reduced below imprisonment for a period of one year.

If the violation results in the death of one or more persons, the penalty shall be life imprisonment and a fine of not less than two hundred thousand Egyptian Pounds and not exceeding two million Egyptian Pounds, or the equivalent value of the good subject to the offense, whichever is greater.

Article 73

In addition to the penalties prescribed in this Law, the court shall be required to order the supplier to refund to the consumer the value of the product subject to the violation in every case in which the consumer has the right to recover such value, unless the consumer has already recovered it prior to the issuance of the judgment.

The application of the first paragraph of Article (32) of the Penal Code shall not preclude the application of the restitution penalty provided for in the preceding paragraph.

Article 74

The person responsible for the actual management of the violating juridical person shall be penalized with the same penalties prescribed in this Law if the person’s knowledge of the violation is established and if that person’s failure to perform the duties imposed by such management contributed to the commission of the offense.

The juridical person shall be jointly and severally liable for the satisfaction of the monetary penalties and compensation ordered if the violation was committed by one of its employees in its name or for its benefit.

Article 75

The court shall order the publication of the conviction judgment at the expense of the convicted person in one daily newspaper and on widely circulated electronic websites. The Authority shall be required to publish detailed announcements on its website of the final conviction judgments issued pursuant to the provisions of this Law, such announcement to continue for a period of three years from the date of the judgment’s issuance. The court clerk of the competent court shall provide the Authority with official copies of such judgments without any procedures or payment of court fees or other charges.

Article 76

Criminal proceedings in respect of the offense provided for in Article (13) of this Law may not be instituted or any procedures taken in respect thereof, except upon a written request from the Competent Minister or whoever is delegated thereby.

— End of Law No. 181 of 2018 (Consumer Protection Law) —

Source: Official Gazette of the Arab Republic of Egypt, Issue No. 37 (Supplement), 13 September 2018

As amended by Law No. 20 of 2024 (Article 71)