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Reports and Memo's
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Brussels, october 1995
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Decisive years for european consumer protection
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Priority for « consumer closer » information policy
Consumer information is a top priority in the framework of consumer policy. Only an informed consumer can be aware of his rights, defend his economic interests, protect his health, and take the best advantage of social and cultural events. Only the consumer who knows the rights and advantages of the European Union, will take an interest in it and will also fight for it. Otherwise, the Union will remain what it has mainly been so far, namely, a common agricultural and internal market with an ever greater concentration of trading enterprises and industries from which the consumer can hardly draw any potential advantage.
Nevertheless, the European Commission has clearly acknowledged the problem. Commissioner Karel VAN MIERT, and after him, Madame Christiane SCRIVENER, launched the opening up of a series of Euro-Info-Centres in the various Member States where the consumers could obtain information on their rights in the EU as well as leaflets, brochures and various other information material concerning the EU and their advantages as EU consumers. Signora Emma BONINO, the current Commissioner responsible for consumer affairs, has now staked everything on one card and concentrated the few reduced budgetary means for 1996 on consumer information.
What is to be done?
The setting up of EU consumer information centres in addition to the national ones, was undoubtedly a praiseworthy initiative. However this kind of initiative on its own, is not sufficient because it rests on the assumption of active consumers who are eager to gather information. The percentage rate of this type of consumer is however very low and should not average more than 10% of the population.
In the years following 1990, the Commission published dozens of excellent brochures in the various languages of the Union. They reach the Euro-Info-Centres, and the European consumer organisations; they also reach the national member organisations. Nevertheless, they are not distributed further to the individual consumer. If EURO COOP, for example, were to provide each of its household members with a brochure, 20 million copies would be necessary for them only. Even the Commission cannot have 371,5 million brochures printed in order to cover the needs of all the consumers in the EU-15, not to mention the accession countries.
There is in addition another important problem regarding the dissemination of consumer information, namely, that our society produces far too much printed information and especially advertising material which the citizens find in abundance in their letter-boxes almost every day. Moreover in our fast-moving times, the consumer has less time to read. He will therefore read only the most essential items such as understanding how to use technical appliances, consulting travel leaflets, sales' catalogues, the daily newspapers and little more. Therefore anybody who is not directly involved in EU activities and personally interested in them, will remain a rather passive citizen in relation to the EU. In other words, the EU should be brought closer to the consumer to the same extent as advertising, for example.
Thus, the Consumers Consultative Council (CCC) in one of its Opinions that was published in 1988 and had been prepared by EURO COOP, had already stressed in addition that :
- the national governments should be obliged to report on the EU directives that are transposed into their own national legislations. This is still not the case. Such an obligation should be directly included in the directives themselves;
- the European and national information structures should be reinforced and especially the consumer organisations. The essential precondition for this is that much easier access should be given to EU information than has been the case so far. This concerns the Commission decisions and those adopted by the Council in particular. Up until now, the press has only had access to press conferences organised by the Commission and the Council. On the other hand, one cannot expect the press to publish comprehensive or objective information. This is not its task either! Consequently, it is difficult for the consumer organisation to reach the direct sources of information in good time. Besides, it is a well-known fact that directorate-general XXIV, responsible for consumer protection policy, holds no information meetings for the benefit of consumer organisations; the only media that reaches the consumer on a daily basis and therefore also the passive consumer of information and advertising, is the television! It is at this level that the Commission together with the assistance of the national governments, should oblige the state-run television networks to report on progress made at EU level regarding consumer affairs.
The Commission could even co-finance or give an award to films providing extensive consumer information. The Commission should also develop new ideas and concentrate a greater part of its financial means for initiatives of this kind. Equally important would be lively information material for the schools that would open up new perspectives for the young on a larger and united Europe.
In September the European Commission launched a new initiative called « Citizens First » and invited the interested European organisations for consultations in order to discuss the guidelines it has programmed and the citizens' rights covered by them.
This is a very praiseworthy initiative. EURO COOP will certainly be ready to disseminate this type of information through its national member organisations in the individual countries. However an important aspect of this initiative is first and foremost perfect coordination and cooperation at the Commission itself and especially between Directorate-General XV (Internal Market and Financial Services) from which the initiative originates, Directorate-General X (Information, Communication and Culture) and Directorate-General XXIV which is responsible for consumer affairs. Even more important is the clarification of responsibilities in order to avoid duplication of tasks and waste of financial means. The consumer service of the EU Commission published an interesting brochure in 1994 entitled « Guidelines for the European Consumer in the Internal Market » whilst Directorate-General X published a whole series of brochures on specific problems in 1994/95 in this regard.
Since this is an extremely important type of information requiring constant updating in increasingly shorter intervals, it is paramount that all the publications of the European Commission should originate from the competent directorate-general, i.e., the DG X (Information, Communication and Culture) in co-operation with the relevant specific directorates-general.
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[ TABLE OF CONTENTS ]
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