4finance (Advocate General's opinion)

(Request for a preliminary ruling from the Supreme Administrative Court (Lithuania))

(Consumer protection – Unfair business-to-consumer commercial practices – Pyramid scheme – Whether consumers must give consideration to enter a pyramid scheme – Whether there is a link between consideration given by new entrants and compensation paid to existing members – Whether the amount of consideration is relevant)

Article 1 defines the purpose of the Directive as being ‘to contribute to the proper functioning of the internal market and achieve a high level of consumer protection by approximating the laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the Member States on unfair commercial practices harming consumers’ economic interests’.

(c) “product” means any goods or service including immovable property, rights and obligations;

(d) “business-to-consumer commercial practices” (hereinafter also referred to as commercial practices) means any act, omission, course of conduct or representation, commercial communication including advertising and marketing, by a trader, directly connected with the promotion, sale or supply of a product to consumers;