CHAPTER I U.K. INTRODUCTORY PROVISIONS

Article 3 U.K. Definitions

For the purposes of this Regulation:

(a)

‘laws that protect consumers' interests’ means the Directives as transposed into the internal legal order of the Member States and the Regulations listed in the Annex;

(b)

‘intra-Community infringement’ means any act or omission contrary to the laws that protect consumers' interests, as defined in (a), that harms, or is likely to harm, the collective interests of consumers residing in a Member State or Member States other than the Member State where the act or omission originated or took place; or where the responsible seller or supplier is established; or where evidence or assets pertaining to the act or omission are to be found;

(c)

‘competent authority’ means any public authority established either at national, regional or local level with specific responsibilities to enforce the laws that protect consumers' interests;

(d)

‘single liaison office’ means the public authority in each Member State designated as responsible for coordinating the application of this Regulation within that Member State;

(e)

‘competent official’ means an official of a competent authority designated as responsible for the application of this Regulation;

(f)

‘applicant authority’ means the competent authority that makes a request for mutual assistance;

(g)

‘requested authority’ means the competent authority that receives a request for mutual assistance;

(h)

‘seller or supplier’ means any natural or legal person who, in respect of the laws that protect consumers' interests, is acting for purposes relating to his trade, business, craft or profession;

(i)

‘market surveillance activities’ means the actions of a competent authority designed to detect whether intra-Community infringements have taken place within its territory;

(j)

‘consumer complaint’ means a statement, supported by reasonable evidence, that a seller or supplier has committed, or is likely to commit, an infringement of the laws that protect consumers' interests;

(k)

‘collective interests of consumers’ means the interests of a number of consumers that have been harmed or are likely to be harmed by an infringement.