The Control Mechanism of Unfair Standard Terms as a Means of Protecting Consumer Rights and its implementation in Georgian Consumer Law
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.60131/jlaw.1.2026.11888Keywords:
freedom of contract, consumer rights, unfair standard terms, principle of fairness, principle of good faith.Abstract
Contract law is premised upon the autonomy of the parties' will. However, this freedom is constrained by the principle of fairness in order to prevent the stronger party from abusing the interests of the weaker party. The article examines the relationship between freedom of contract and fairness, with particular emphasis on consumer contracts. A lack of transparency in contractual terms, restrictions on consumer choice, and an inequality of bargaining power in the negotiation process are the criteria whose presence qualifies the trader's conduct as an abuse of a dominant position - a feature that is, as a rule, characteristic of consumer contracts.
Particular attention is devoted to the legal control of standard terms as one of the most significant mechanisms for ensuring a balance between the interests of the parties. The article examines Council Directive 93/13/EEC of 5 April 1993 on Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts, which establishes the European standard for the protection of consumer rights. In parallel, the regulatory framework established by the Law of Georgia on Consumer Rights Protection is analyzed, and an assessment is made of the extent to which the Georgian model for the exclusion of unfair terms from consumer contracts effectively ensures the protection of consumer interests.
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