Reding: States do not protect the consumers enough

The VP of the Commission: “They do not inform the associations of their rights”
The expenses for consumption are equal to 56% of the EU’s GNP

Permit the consumer to make informed choices, protect the consumer in purchases and improve their rights. The means to do this – even on the European level and not just internally in individual States – exist or will soon. It’s a shame that no one knows this: not the citizens or the trade associations, and not even lawyers who should protect those rights.

The Commissioner, Viviane Reding with the members of the Internal Market committee of the European Parliament advise the people, above all that consumer protection is a critical situation on an informative level. There are many topics on the agenda to monitor the evolution of the ambitious Consumer’s Agenda, adopted May last year: from the single digital market, to data protection, all the way to unfair commercial practices. On many of the issues agreement is unanimous, as the Commissioner highlighted: “We are satisfied – Reding said – on the issue that general consensus is multiplying on some issues; it means we are on the right path.” Now, however, efforts need to focus on applying the norms. “The member states are not doing a good job” cautions Reding and it is obvious in “speaking with the consumer associations who don’t know about their rights.” And if they do not, it is also because “the specialized sector – the jurists don’t know about these laws.” For this, a “raising awareness among all justice stakeholders” is fundamental.

Protecting consumers is not a secondary objective: it is enough to realize that consumer purchases account for 56% of the EU’s GNP. In order to improve faith, especially in a time of economic difficulty, reminds Reding, this could create an important opportunity for everybody – above all for the digital single market.

But attention is turned also to the directive against unfair commercial practices, “advantageous for businesses and consumers but it needs further efforts to be implemented adequately.” Not only consumers but also businesses must be protected. The objective therefore is to modify the directive on misleading publicity, as well to make it stricter.

Another important tool is the reform on data protection. A regulation that, according to Reding, “decisively opens markets” and “will save businesses 2.3 billion Euro a year,” establishing an end to the fragmentation of administrative responsibility. The key to guarantee the application, according to the Commissioner, is to have a national regulator in the territory with the power to impose sanctions of 2% in respect to the entire business matrix.

Reding reminds us that the European law on sales will be advantageous for the citizens. Now only 6% of citizens make purchases on the internet outside their borders but “tomorrow obstacles will be removed and sales can be put into practice.”

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