APC Romania (Consumers’ Protection Association Romania), a Founding Member of the Romanian Distribution Committee, is confirming the ability to reach its role of independent campaigning voice for Romanian consumers, by focusing on the shared concerns of consumers within Romanian society at large and by constantly covering the complex area of expectations from business in terms of Corporate Social Responsibility.

Let see in this respect the statement of Dr. Costel Stanciu – President of APC Romania – on the occasion of the visit made in Bucharest by European Commissioner Meglena Kuneva on 5.02.2007. As President of APC Romania Dr. Costel Stanciu, specialized in quality management, is continuing the tradition of wellknown leaders in the field of quality management, such as the american Dr. W. Edwards Deming (“Quality can only be defined in terms of customer satisfaction”) and the (romanian -) american Dr. Joseph Guran (“Quality as fitness for use” and the necessity for ongoing quality improvement which is only achieved through “project by project” improvement, a succession of small improvement projects carried out throughout the organization). APC Romania’s involvement in the reference domains (advice to consumers; informing the consumers; representing the consumers; projects sustained) is proving its constant concern for “ongoing quality improvement” of its activities.

APC Romania (Consumers’ Protection Association Romania, www.apc-romania.ro/) has been founded in 1990 and actually has 5000 members and 18 branches all over Romania. APC Romania was recognized in 2005, by the Romanian Government, as a public utility organization and as an important actor in the social dialogue. APC Romania is a member of the following organizations: Consumers International; BEUC; International Network of Civil Society Organizations in Competition (INCSOC); Consumers Citizenship Network; E-Consumers Network; CEE Network – network of NGOs from Central and Eastern European region operating in the joint fields of consumer an environmental protection; ADR Directory.

APC Romania’s aims are: represent consumers and promote consumers interests; lobby for improvement of level of consumers’ protection, enforcement of consumers’ rights as well as consumers’ information and education; enhance transparency of production methods and quality of products and services offered on the market; inform consumers on the main characteristics of the products and services offered on the market; give advice to consumers referring to solving specific problems; educate consumers on their rights; create equal chances for all consumers.

Through the development of the consumers advise and information system, of informing system Infoteka and of the informative materials created, through the initiatives and amendments brought to legislative proposals, through the lobby activities, APC Romania has proved the achievement of its role as a consumers’ organization formed by consumers. In fact, the individual consumers’ members are the ones who decide the association’s policy and are involved in the decision-making process. The General Assembly is electing by vote the Management Board (a young, dynamic and professional one in present), the President.