The procedure for creating the Agency for Consumer Protection will be started on January 1, 2012 and the institution will become fully functional towards the end of the year, Deputy Minister of Economy Octavian Calmic announced in a news conference on Tuesday, Info-Prim Neo reports. The deputy minister said the year 2011 was relevant for the actions concerning consumer protection and the adjustment of the norms in the field to those used in the EU. On December 6 this year, the Government adopted a decision to create the Agency for Consumer Protection. It will be set up instead of the State Inspectorate for Market Supervision, Metrology and Consumer Protection and will have 78 employees. It will have branches in Balti and Cahul. “The agency will supervise the market to see if the products and services provided meet the requirements, carry out inspections at all the good production and service provision stages, perform state control over the observance of the trading norms and rules, perform the metrological control of the measuring means and protect the economic interests of the consumers. It will be able to represent the consumers in court,” said Octavian Calmic. The new institution will have the right to ascertain irregularities and impose penalties in accordance with the Code of Administrative Offenses, to make decisions to replace or restore the equivalent value of the product or service that does not meet the norms. It will also be able to make orders to stop the incorrect commercial practices.