On the face of it, consumer protection law may not be the most obvious outcome of the European single market. How then, does it figure into the aims of the first Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, and why has it become such a priority for the European Union (EU)?
With these legal-historical questions in mind, legal scholar Dr Slobodan Vukadinović, an associate professor in the Faculty of Law at Union University in Belgrade, took up his International Visegrad Fund (IVF) grant at the Historical Archives of the European Union (HAEU) in November of 2024 to pursue his project ‘Origins and development of consumer protection aimed at safeguarding the single market of the European community and Union (1957-present)’.
While the analysis is still in its early stages, Dr Vukadinović’s examination of primary documents at the HAEU from the European institutions, as well as from the Bureau Européen des Unions de Consommateurs (BEUC), has provided evidence supporting his hypothesis that consumer protection objectives emerged reflexively to serve the goal of market protection. “Consumer protection encourages trust, which encourages consumption,” he explains. “Informed, protected consumers are an advantage for the single market.”
Knowledge transfer
As has been the case with other IVF fellows, Dr Vukadinović’s research agenda extends beyond his academic research question. More specifically, he aims to contribute to the field of consumer protection law in Serbia. “As a candidate country, Serbia is obligated to harmonise its consumer protection regulations with those in the EU acquis, which mentions the consumer specifically. My aim is to share knowledge about EU consumer law with both the scientific community and consumers in Serbia.”
“I appreciate the opportunity to consult primary sources,” he continued, “because they are complete and provide a better picture of the whole period.”
Tapping into research networks
A specific aim of the IVF grant is to provide access to the specific research networks and expertise at the European University Institute. In this, too, Dr Vukadinović says his experience more than exceeded his expectations. From the specialised assistance of HAEU archivist Ruth Meyer, who met with him immediately and assisted with his research in the EU and BEUC fonds, to the welcoming EUI community of faculty and fellows working on private law and consumer rights in the EU, Dr Vukadinović promises that he will return.
“I will absolutely come back,” he exclaimed on his last full day at the Archives. “I was able to participate in seminars and working groups in the Law Department and at the Robert Schuman Centre and the Florence School of Transnational Governance. I have gained several new contacts across law and other disciplines.”
The International Visegrad Fund Grant at the HAEU
The International Visegrad Fund and the European University Institute offer up to six grants each year to post-graduate scholars from Central and Eastern Europe to conduct research at the Historical Archives of the European Union.
Selected candidates are encouraged to take advantage of the academic resources offered by the European University Institute while they are on campus.
The next call for applications will be issued in spring 2025.