However, it concluded that Latvia should have no serious problems in adopting the Community acquis in the medium term. The November 1998 Report ascertained that little progress had been made in transposing the acquis in this area. In addition, despite improvements in the institutional structures, it was necessary to continue efforts to improve them. In its October 1999 Report , the Commission notes that steady progress has been made in terms of legislative alignment. In addition to framework legislation on protecting consumer rights, several specific acts have been adopted.
Improvements are still necessary in regard to the institutional framework.
The European Association Agreement provides for aligning the legislation with Community law and for cooperation measures to bring Latvian consumer protection law fully into line with the Community rules. The second-phase measures concern package travel and timeshares. The 1992 Consumer Protection Act enshrines consumers' rights and the obligations of manufacturers, sellers and service providers in regard to quality, advertising and the safety of products. It also establishes a liability regime in the event of infringement of consumer rights and spells out the mission of the non-governmental organisations working in the consumer protection field. Consumer policy comes within the remit of the Ministry of the Economy, though its role is not defined in the Consumer Protection Act.