Consumer law in Constitution: a big mistake? The specific case of aviation in Brazil
| Autor | Delphine Aurelie Laurence Defossez |
| Cargo | Ph.D. candidate from Universidade de Brasilia (Brasília-DF, Brasil). LL.M in comparative international and european law, at European University Institute, Florence, Italy |
| Páginas | 61-83 |
Licenciado sob uma Licença Creative Commons
Licensed under Creative Commons
61
Revista de Investigações Constitucionais, Curitiba, vol. 4, n. 3, p. 61-83, set./dez. 2017.
Revista de Investigações Constitucionais
ISSN 2359-5639
DOI: 10.5380/rinc.v4i3.51532
Como citar esse artigo/How to cite this article: DEFOSSEZ, Delphine Aurelie Laurence. Consumer law in Constitution: a big mis-
take? The specic case of aviation in Brazil. Revista de Investigações Constitucionais, Curitiba, vol. 4, n. 3. p. 61-83, set./dez.
2017. DOI: 10.5380/rinc.v4i3.51532.
* Ph.D. candidate from Universidade de Brasilia (Brasília-DF, Brasil). LL.M in comparative international and european law, at
European University Institute, Florence, Italy. LL.M in international maritime and commercial law, Swansea University. E-mail:
delphine.defossez@live.be.
Abstract
Globalisation, alongside with the growth in trade and
wealth has inuenced the considerable development of
consumer law over the last 50 years. In some countries,
consumer rights have been embraced at the highest
Constitutional level. For instance, in Brazil, consumer pro-
tection has been given a constitutional value. This con-
stitutional value has been reinforced by the approach
taken by the Federal Supreme Court of Brazil with regard
to that nation’s Consumer Code (CDC). In spite of the
existence of a specic federal agency with its own rules
to govern civil aviation, the services rendered by airline
companies are also subject to the Consumer Code. For
an obscure reason, and even though logic would favor
application of the Montreal Convention, Brazilian judges
prefer to apply the Brazilian Consumer Code to inter-
national air service, in cases involving consumers. The
conict between the Montreal Convention and the CDC
is limited to one area, which is one of the most import-
ant areas regulated by the Convention, namely the civil
Consumer law in Constitution: a big mistake?
The specic case of aviation in Brazil
Direito do consumidor na Constituição: um grande
erro? O caso especíco da aviação no Brasil
DELPHINE AURELIE LAURENCE DEFOSSEZ*
Universidade de Brasília (Brasil)
delphine.defossez@live.be
http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7285-0491
Recebido/Received: 30.03.2017 / March 30th, 2017
Aprovado/Approved: 07.08.2017 / August 7th, 2017
Resumo
A globalização, ao lado do crescimento do comércio e da
riqueza, inuenciou o considerável desenvolvimento do Di-
reito do Consumidor durante os últimos 50 anos. Em alguns
países, o Direito do Consumidor é regulado em nível consti-
tucional. Por exemplo, no Brasil, a proteção do consumidor
foi determinada como um valor constitucional. Este valor
constitucional foi reforçado pela abordagem levada pelo
Supremo Tribunal Federal do Brasil em relação ao Código
de Proteçao e Defesa do Consumidor (CDC) daquela nação.
Apesar da existência de uma agência federal especíca com
suas próprias regras, os serviços feitos por companhias de
linha aérea estão também sujeitos ao Código de Defesa do
Consumidor, apesar da existência de uma agência federal
especíca com suas próprias regras. Por uma razão obscu-
ra, e embora a lógica favorecesse a aplicação da Convenção
de Montreal, os juízes brasileiros preferem aplicar o CDC ao
serviço aéreo internacional, em casos que envolvem os con-
sumidores. O conito entre a Convenção de Montreal e o
CDC é limitado a uma área que é um das mais importantes
Revista de Investigações Constitucionais, Curitiba, vol. 4, n. 3, p. 61-83, set./dez. 2017.
DELPHINE AURELIE LAURENCE DEFOSSEZ
62
responsibility of the carrier. This paper demonstrates that
the inclusion of consumer rights as constitutional rights
does not improve the standard of consumer protection
but instead put a heavy burden on airlines and in the
case of the CDC even creates legal uncertainty.
Key-words: Aviation; CDC; consumer rights; fundamen-
tal rights; Constitution.
entre aquelas reguladas pela Convenção: a responsabilida-
de civil do portador. Este artigo demonstra que a inclusão
de direitos de consumidor como direitos constitucionais
não melhora o padrão de proteção de consumidor, mas, ao
revés, põe um fardo pesado em linhas aéreas e no caso do
CDC cria até mesmo insegurança jurídica.
Palavras-chave: Aviação; CDC; direito do consumidor; di-
reitos fundamentais; Constituição.
CONTENTS
1. Introduction; 2. Consumer law as universal human right: a utopia?; 3. Recognition of consumer rights
as fundamental rights at international and national level; 4. Constitutional rights: European and Brazi-
lian approach; 4.1. The European approach; 4.2. The Brazilian approach; 5. International treaties in the
Brazilian system; 6. The specic case of the Codigo de Proteçao e Defesa do Consumidor (CDC) in aviation
and the role of the Brazilian courts; 7. Conclusion; 8. References.
1. INTRODUCTION
Globalisation, alongside with the growth in trade and wealth has inuenced the
considerable development of consumer law over the last 50 years. As a result, nume-
rous regulations have been adopted to ensure a fair balance between professional su-
ppliers and individuals. In some countries, consumer rights have been embraced at the
highest Constitutional level. For instance, in Brazil, consumer protection has been given
a constitutional value. This constitutional value has been reinforced by the approach
taken by the Federal Supreme Court of Brazil with regard to that nation’s Consumer
Code (CDC).1
Brazil is not the only country having done so. Indeed, awareness of consumer
rights as basic rights started with a message to the US Congress by the then President
John F. Kennedy in March 1962.2 President John F. Kennedy outlined four fundamental
consumer rights.3 Although this declaration had no impact on the US Constitution and
had no specic value, this speech had some repercussion elsewhere. This speech con-
tributed to the emergence of new social and legal phenomena. Currently, consumer
protection is ensured by some provisions in 47 countries, the majority of which are
developing countries or had their constitution drafted in time of economic harshness.4
1 Codigo de Proteçao e Defesa do Consumidor. Lei nº 8.078 de 11 de Setembro de 1990
2 Public Papers of the United States. J. F. Kennedy – Public Messages, Speeches and Statements of the President, 1.1.– 31.12. pp.
235–240, United States. Oce of the Federal Register. U.S. Govt. Print. O., 1962; KINGISEPP, Margus. The Constitutional Approa-
ch to Basic Consumer Rights. Juridica International Law Review, Ülikooli, vol. 19, p. 49-58, 2012. p. 49.
3 Public Papers of the United States. J. F. Kennedy, Op. Cite 2.
4 ELKINS, Zachary; GINSBURG, Tom,; MELTON. Characteristics of National Constitutions, Version 2.0. Comparative Constitutions
Project, 2014. Available at: < https://www.constituteproject.org/search?lang=en&key=conright>.
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