Regulation of Unfair Contract Terms in Central and Eastern European Countries

Abstract

The paper summarizes results of a comparison of unfair clause legislation in the Central and Eastern European countries. In the introductory part, the development of the regulation of unfair terms, the sources of inspiration as well as the different approaches in traditional civil law countries are described. Subsequently, the regulations in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, Serbia and Croatia are compared. The contemporary regulation is based on the minimum standards of the Council Directive 93/13/EEC of 5 April 1993 on Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts. Nevertheless, the scope of protection varies in its effects in particular states (e.g. scope of applicability, nature and number of prohibited clauses). The increasing importance of public authority in enforcement is evident. In the countries compared, protection against unfair terms is not limited only to consumer contracts, but it applies in different extent to some others as well.