ASSOCIATED CREDIT AGREEMENTS

Potrošač na tržištu nerijetko ulazi u poslovne transakcije u kojima radi financiranja kupnje određenih proizvoda ili usluga, sklapa ugovor o kreditu koji mu je ponuđen na temelju prethodnog sporazuma prodavatelja robe ili pružatelja usluge i davatelja kredita. Pritom se izlaže riziku da prodavatelj robe, odnosno pružatelj usluge ne ispuni ili neuredno ispuni svoju ugovornu obvezu. Prema općim pravilima o ugovornoj odgovornosti potrošač bi morao otplaćivati kredit iako mu ugovor radi kojeg je sklopio ugovor o kreditu nije uredno ili nije uopće ispunjen. Preuzimanjem odredbe čl. 11. Direktive 87/102/EEZ u Zakon o zaštiti potrošača u hrvatsko je pravo uveden za potrošača izrazito važan institut povezanih ugovora o kreditu, koji mu daje prava koja mu nisu dostupna prema općim pravilima o ugovornoj odgovornosti. U slučaju neuspješnog ostvarivanja prava naspram prodavatelja ili pružatelja usluge, potrošač svoja prava može ostvarivati naspram davatelja kredita. Iako je čl. 83. Zakona o zaštiti potrošača u mnogočemu izašao izvan minimalnog stupnja zaštite potrošača kojeg je u pogledu povezanih ugovora o kreditu propisivao čl. 11. Direktive 87/102/EEZ, isto se nije ponovilo prilikom usklađivanja s člankom 15. njezine nasljednice Direktive 2008/48/EZ. Suprotno načelu maksimalne harmonizacije na kojem se Direktiva 2008/48/EZ temelji, hrvatski zakonodavac u Zakon o potrošačkom kreditiranju nedostatno preuzima spomenutu odredbu potpuno izmijenivši njezin sadržaj i značenje. Stoga autorica u radu ukazuje na potrebu hitne izmjene čl. 15. Zakona o potrošačkom kreditiranju o povezanim ugovorima o kreditu s ciljem usklađivanja s odredbama Direktive 2008/48/EZ i povišenjem stupnja zaštite potrošača. I konačno autorica na primjeru njemačke sudske prakse i prakse Europskog suda pravde ukazuje na važnost odredaba o povezanim ugovorima o kreditu i na učestale probleme koji se javljaju u praksi.A consumer in the market frequently enters into business transactions stipulating the credit agreement granted for acquisition of certain goods or services which was offered to him according to a previous agreement between the supplier of goods or services and the grantor of the credit. In such cases, he exposes himself to the risk of supplier’s non-performance or defective performance of the contractual obligation. According to the general rules of contractual responsibility, the consumer shall have to repay a credit by instalments although the contract, because of which he stipulated a credit agreement, is defectively performed or non-performed at all. Nevertheless, after the implementation of the Article 11 of the Directive 87/102/EEC into the Consumer Protection Act, a very important institute for consumers has been introduced into Croatian law, the institute of associated credit agreements. The institute entitles the consumer with rights which are not given to him according to general rules on contractual responsibility. In case of an unsuccessful exercise of the rights in regards to the supplier of goods or services, the consumer may exercise his rights against the grantor of the credit. Although the Article 83 of the Consumer Protection Act has stepped out from the minimum level of consumer protection in lots of diverse elements, which was prescribed by the Article 11 of the Directive 87/102/EEC with respect to associated credit agreements, the same approach was not applied when provisions were adjusted to conform to the Article 15 of the repealing Directive 2008/48/EC. Contrary to the principle of maximum harmonisation which was a basis for the Directive 2008/48/EC, Croatian legislator has implemented the above mentioned provision with considerable insufficiency totally revising its content and meaning. Therefore, the author in the article points at urgent need to amend the Article 15 of the Consumer Credit Code governing the associate credit agreements with the aim to harmonise it with the Directive 2008/48/EC and to increase level of consumer protection. In conclusive remarks the author presents examples of German case law and European Court of Justice practice and emphasizes the importance of provisions governing the associated credit contracts and frequent issues arising in practice