Consumer Policy
Under the consumer protection section of the European Union Treaty,
the EU aims to contribute to safeguarding the health, safety and economic interests
of consumers. In addition to ensuring a high level of protection through
legislation, information and education initiatives have also been undertaken.
Consumer interests are also taken into account in a wide range of other EU
policies.
The most important legislative measures are those adopted as part of
the single market. Among the measures already in force are directives covering:
- price indications on foodstuffs and non-food products,
- misleading advertising, distance selling and consumer credit,
- unfair terms in consumer contracts,
- specific measures protecting purchasers of package tours and time
shares.
Other EU initiatives supplement measures taken by national Governments.
There are also several non-binding recommendations and resolutions made by the
Council. These cover a wide range of consumer issues - from credit card systems
to education.
Impact of other EU policies
Other EU policies also have an important impact on consumer policy.
Perhaps the most significant example of this is the Common Agricultural Policy
through price
support but also quality control of the agricultural produce (i.e. BSE
crisis).
The new EU Consumer Action Plan
The Commission adopted a strategy for taking consumer policy into the
new millennium. This set three targets for the period 1999-2001:
- a more effective voice for the consumer in the EU will be
particularly important as policy decisions become technically more complex.
Consultation procedures are being honed to ensure that consumer interests are
more consistently taken into account. Better coordination among local/national
consumer groups will be promoted through networking and information activities
and a hotline to the Commission for these groups is in place,
- a high level of health and safety is in the interests of
business as well as consumers. Both benefit from a more systematic approach to
risk analysis. Application of the precautionary principle in food and product
safety is being developed and consumer concerns about the labelling, hygiene
and inspection of food need to be tackled,
- safeguarding the economic interests of EU consumers means dealing
with concerns about "miracle products", misleading health claims and
pyramid selling. Further goals include boosting confidence in electronic
payment means and encouraging low-cost cross-border retail payments and a
consumer-friendly market in financial services.
BSE crisis
Public concern about food safety issues has grown rapidly in recent
years, particularly in the wake of the BSE crisis. The EU approach to food
safety issues based on 3 principles:
- decision-making needs to be based on quality scientific advice which is
broadly accepted as being independent,
- responsibility for legislation should be separate from that for
inspection,
- there should be greater transparency and better access to information,
both in the decision-making process and for inspection measures.
Responsibility within the Commission for coordinating all the relevant
scientific committees of national experts has been concentrated in the Health
and Consumer Protection DG and an EU Food and Veterinary Office (FVO) was set
up in Blackrock near Dublin in 1998.
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