CHALLENGES AND POSSIBILITIES OF PROMOTING CONSUMER EDUCATION

A presentation of the achievements of the work of Nordic-Estonian Consumer

Education Group

Cooperation

• In 2007 an informal cooperation group The Nordic-Estonian Consumer Education group (NECE group) was established.

• Members of the group are: Consumer Protection Board of Estonia, Finnish Competition and Consumer Authority, Ministry of Children, Equality and Social Inclusion in Norway and Consumer Agency of Sweden.

• The main purpose of the NECE group is to promote consumer education, co-ordinate projects and create bi-lateral networks (universities and state authorities) within the field of consumer education.

Achievements• Teaching Consumer Competences – A Strategy for

Consumer Education. Published by The Nordic Council of Ministers (TemaNord2009:58)

• Consumer competence for children and adolescents-objectives for teaching (2014)

• Being partner to OECD: – Conference (Paris 2008) – OECD recommendation on consumer education of the

Committee on Consumer Policy• Being partner to The European Commission by initiating

a Consumer Education Expert Group

Case: Finnish curriculum reform

• NECE group influence on the curriculum reform– NECE documents have been used as background in lobbying and

writing statements– Age project work

• FCCA in the renewal process– Activities in all levels of decision making – National core curriculum was drawn up in open, interactive and

cooperative processes – Invitation from NBE to act as member of expert group (home

economics) – Offering ideas for age relevant teaching in consumer education

area in curriculum reform

Benefits of the cooperation between countries

• Exchange of experience, since there is a lack of research on the development of consumer competences and of consumer education.

• Cooperation can reveal new trends.• Development of new material on consumer

education • Giving input to the European Commission’s

Consumer Education Expert Group