Spanish consumers’ associations recently created a pro-consumer campaign with the name “I decide how I receive”, against forced e-billing.

Over the last years, service providers, financial institutions and governments have been campaigning to replace paper communication by electronic communication, sometimes unilaterally imposing a change to electronic billing regardless of the consumers’ habits, preferences and individual circumstances. In June 2014, recent amendments to the Spanish General Law for the Defence of Consumers and Users came into force. A legislative reform was approved, containing in Article 63 of Law 3/2014 the right of consumers to be protected against forced e-billing.

In order to support the new legal protection, several Spanish consumers’ associations, together with the paper and postal industries, have recently created the initiative ‘Yo Decido Cómo Recibo’ (I decide how I receive) in order to claim the consumer’s right to choose how they should receive bills or other financial communications and to advocate for groups at risk of exclusion, such as disadvantaged or indebted people.

The campaign mainly aimed to inform consumers about their rights, support them on the claims of violated rights, raise awareness amongst citizens and check law compliance by services utilities and providers.

The kick off meeting of the Spanish campaign took place on 11 June 2014 in Madrid, gathering several partners, supporters, as well as getting good media coverage thanks to articles, videos and event campaigns organised around the issue.

Further information can be found here: http://yodecidocomorecibo.org/