Assignment on Consumer Rights

Consumer rights are a set of rights governed by the law

that allows customers to have the necessary information
about goods and services while purchasing. Similarly,
consumer responsibilities indicate that customers have a
specific responsibility towards society and other
consumers and help them to fight against unfair practices
or at least be aware of them
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. In this assignment, we will discuss the enactment of
COBRA 1986, the role of the WTO in the protection of
consumers, and various consumer rights.
Enactment of COBRA 1986
The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act
(COBRA) is a federal law passed in 1986 that lets certain
employees, their spouses, and their dependents keep
group health plan (GHP) coverage for 18 to 36 months
after they leave their job or lose coverage for certain
other reasons, as long as they pay the full cost of the
premium
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. Under COBRA, a GHP is defined as a job-based
insurance plan that provides medical benefits to
employees, their spouses, and/or their dependents.
Medical benefits may include inpatient and outpatient
hospital care, physician care, surgery, prescription drugs,
and other medical benefits, such as dental and vision
care
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. The federal COBRA law generally applies to job-based
insurance from employers with 20+ employees in the
prior year. It applies to health plans in the private sector
and those sponsored by state and local governments—
but not those sponsored by the federal government and
certain others
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.
Role of WTO in Protection of Consumers
The World Trade Organization (WTO) rules permit
governments to impose regulations to ensure that the
products coming across their borders are safe. This
includes ensuring that there is no risk to consumers from
contaminated food and that imported goods do not bring
in exotic diseases and pests
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. Article 20 of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade
(GATT) allows governments to act on trade to protect
human, animal, or plant life or health, provided they do
not discriminate or use this as disguised protectionism
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. In addition, there are two specific WTO agreements
dealing with food safety and animal and plant health and
safety, and with product standards in general. Both try to
identify how to meet the need to apply standards and at
the same time avoid protectionism in disguise
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.
Various Consumer Rights
The Consumer Protection Act grants various rights to the
consumer, such as the right to seek redressal, the right to
safety, the right to be heard, the right to choose, the right
to be informed, and the right to consumer education
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.
1. Right to safety: This means the right to be protected
against the marketing of goods and services that are
hazardous to life and property
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.
2. Right to choose: Consumers should have the right to
choose from a variety of goods and in a competitive
price
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.
3. Right to be informed: The buyers should be informed
with all the necessary details of the product, making
them act wise and change the buying decision
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.
4. Right to consumer education: Consumers should be
aware of their rights and responsibilities
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 5. Right to be heard: Customers have the right to be
treated in a respectful and courteous manner
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.
6. Right to seek redressal: Consumers have the right to
seek redressal against unfair trade practices, fraud,
etc. 
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.
7. Right to privacy: Consumers have the right to protect
their personal information from being misused
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.
8. Right to service: Consumers have the right to receive
after-sales service and warranty
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.
In conclusion, consumer rights are essential for
protecting consumers from unfair and unsafe business
practices. COBRA 1986 provides employees with the
opportunity to continue their health coverage after losing
their job or other qualifying events. The WTO plays a
crucial role in ensuring that products coming across
borders are safe for consumers. Finally, various consumer
rights, such as the right to safety, the right to be
informed, and the right to seek redressal, are necessary
for protecting consumers.