Aruba strengthens consumer protection via government and AFTA protocol

Aruba has strengthened its consumer protection framework through a new cooperation protocol signed between the government and the Aruba Fair Trade Authority (AFTA). Minister of Finance, Economic Affairs, and the Primary Sector, Geoffrey Wever, signed the agreement to create a more transparent and efficient structure for market oversight.

The protocol implements the Landsverordening bestuursrechtelijke handhaving consumentenbescherming, which partially entered into force in March 2026. Under this arrangement, AFTA is responsible for supervising legal compliance regarding collective consumer protection, while the Department of Economic, Commerce and Industry (DEACI) will handle individual complaints, registration, and mediation.

A key component of this cooperation is the 'Consuloket', a digital platform for consumers. The agreement establishes clear procedures for information exchange, management coordination, and the protection of confidential data to ensure a complete chain of protection from individual complaints to broad market supervision.