Consumer protection in Monaco

Monaco relies mainly on the Civil Code and special legislation. No general EU-style conformity system has been established in the available local sources. For hidden defects in movable goods, the buyer can generally seek a refund and return the goods or keep them with a price reduction. A seller who knowingly concealed the defect may also owe damages. A movable-goods claim must generally be brought within six months after discovering the defect, and contractual terms cannot validly waive these consumer rights. Online purchases are governed in particular by Law No. 1.383 of 2 August 2011. A distance contract is an electronically organised contract concluded without the parties meeting in person. The supplier must provide its identity, contractual information, commercial guarantees and after-sales arrangements before the order. The total price, order-correction method and electronic confirmation of the order must be clear. A durable medium means a form such as paper or a file that lets the consumer store and reproduce the information unchanged. Goods should generally be delivered within 30 days. If the goods are unavailable, the supplier must offer cancellation with repayment within the applicable 30-day period, including the statutory increase of one-half for delayed repayment, or offer an equivalent replacement. The withdrawal period is generally seven clear days. For goods it runs from receipt; for services it runs from acceptance of the offer. The withdrawal must be sent in writing or on a durable medium. The consumer may have to pay direct return costs and comply with applicable return conditions, including the original packaging where required. If the supplier failed to provide the required prior information, the period can extend to three months. Linked credit ends without penalty when the underlying contract is withdrawn. A supplier cannot demand payment for unsolicited goods. Direct email and automated advertising generally require prior consent or a valid opt-out mechanism. Platforms that arrange professional-consumer contracts must provide a secure information area under the applicable platform rules, including Amendment No. 2022-40. Financial services are excluded from the relevant e-commerce title and follow their own rules. There is no confirmed general Monaco consumer ombudsman or central consumer-protection office. Start with a written complaint to the supplier and keep the contract, invoice, payment record, messages, photographs and delivery evidence. The DDE, the Division du Contrôle de l’Activité des Entreprises, can be relevant to business conduct and compliance. Financial complaints go to the CCAF, the independent Commission de Contrôle des Activités Financières, when the firm is supervised. Check the CCAF register and the firm’s authorised activities before investing. The CCAF can examine regulatory breaches but does not mediate every private payment dispute. Banking supervision by the French ACPR must not be confused with CCAF supervision. Food and health-product concerns can be directed to the competent sanitary and food-safety services. Dangerous goods must not remain on the market, and suppliers must withdraw or recall products and inform reachable consumers. Labels must be clear and not misleading, and health or prevention claims must have a proper basis. Food supplements have additional safety and labelling requirements. Pharmacy controls, including pharmaceutical and medical-device vigilance, follow Law No. 1.518. Questions about product quality or reimbursement may belong with the responsible health or insurance body rather than a general consumer office. For electricity and gas, SMEG is the concessionary distributor and supplier. End customers benefit under the Monaco-France convention from regulated French end-customer tariffs, including applicable charges. A supply contract does not automatically end when a tenancy or property sale ends. Billing, contract and service complaints can be sent to commercial@smeg.mc or +377 92 05 66 44; emergencies use +377 92 05 05 05. No central consumer mediation channel has been established for private SMEG disputes. Travel disputes require a cross-border review of the contract and applicable law. Monaco’s private international law provides specific consumer protection for package travel, tours and package holidays, while ordinary transport is excluded from that special protection. A general local package-travel mediation body has not been confirmed. Contact the organiser or agency first, then assess the competent court or foreign sector body. A consumer resident in Monaco may bring a consumer-contract claim before Monaco courts despite a foreign jurisdiction clause, subject to the applicable private-international-law exceptions, including some active-consumer situations, delivery-related rules and certain transport contracts. For suspected fraud or unauthorised investment activity, stop further payments, preserve all evidence and contact the Sûreté Publique or the Procureur Général. Check CCAF authorisation and warnings before dealing with a financial advertiser. A cyber incident can also require the Monegasque cybersecurity guidance and AMSN channels. Payment recovery is not guaranteed. Private money or performance disputes may require a lawyer and the Tribunal de première instance. Court, lawyer and expert costs depend on the case. Complaints to authorities are generally free, but they do not automatically suspend contractual deadlines or replace a court claim. The Haut Commissariat mainly handles public administration, discrimination and children’s rights; it is not a general forum for private consumer contracts and normally requires prior contact with the responsible body.