Brussels, 1 July 2004

The Netherlands assumes the Presidency of the Council of Ministers of the European Union today, 1 July 2004. EURO COOP, the European Community of Consumer Cooperatives, calls on the new Presidency to prioritise the following policies and actions during the next six months.

Environment Policy

EURO COOP believes the EU has a key role to play in achieving sustainable development for itself and the rest of the world. Although it committed itself to drawing-up a sustainable development strategy at the 2002 Johannesburg Summit, the EU has todate failed to do so. EURO COOP would remind the Dutch Presidency of EU obligations in this area and calls on it to draft a sustainable development strategy to include clear objectives, the means to achieve them, deadlines and a commitment to include sustainable development as a central objective across all EU policy areas.

Equally important for EURO COOP is the revision of EU chemicals policy (REACH). The current regulatory regime is based on a cumbersome set of 60 individual pieces of legislation which stifles innovation and substitution. EURO COOP therefore calls on the Dutch Presidency to ensure there is no further delay in progressing the European Commission REACH proposal.

Consumer Co-operatives support Fair Trade as a means of supporting balanced social, economic and democratic development in less-developed countries. EURO COOP strongly believes the EU should be a frontrunner in encouraging Fair Trade, and thus calls on the Dutch Presidency to ensure that measures to support and encourage Fair Trade are on EU and Member State policy agendas; private initiatives such as Fair Trade can only go as far as the given economic and political framework permits.

Food Policy

EURO COOP welcomes the Dutch Presidency commitment to follow-up the Irish Presidency work on diet, health and nutrition. As obesity and related chronic diseases are rapidly increasing in Europe, EURO COOP believes that public health and consumer protection must be high on the EU political agenda.

EURO COOP would urge the Dutch Presidency to support Commission proposals on fortified foods and claims as consumers are increasingly faced with an unregulated market of foodstuffs portrayed as 'healthier' or 'better' although their nutritional composition contradicts healthy eating advice. Providing consumer choice involves adopting new EU legislation making nutrition labelling compulsory. EURO COOP also calls on the Dutch Presidency to ensure this proposal will be consistent with the two Commission proposals mentioned above. EURO COOP believes that the Dutch Presidency should also prioritise other expected Commission proposals on enzymes, food additives and the review of food labelling legislation.

Another key priority for European consumer co-operatives is genetically-modified (GM) foodstuffs and seeds. As protection of consumer choice between GM and non-GM foods requires seed purity, EURO COOP calls on the Dutch Presidency to be vigilant during the discussion of the Commission proposal on the adventitious presence of GM seeds in conventional seeds as it may be sent to Council if it is not adopted by the comitology procedure.

Consumer Policy

EURO COOP believes the Dutch Presidency should pursue the important Irish Presidency work towards achieving a high, common level of consumer protection across the EU. Specific measures requiring follow-up include the Regulation on sales promotions and the Directive on unfair commercial practices.

Progressing the Consumer Credit Directive - and the problem of overindebtedness - and the Regulation on cross-border co-operation in consumer protection would also do much to improve consumer protection.

The Presidency should also work on follow-up measures to the Services of General Interest White Paper that will provide all consumers and users with equal access to high-quality public services.

Co-operative Policy

EURO COOP is concerned at the poor understanding at EU-level of the specific nature of consumer co-operatives and their socio-economic role across the EU25 in fostering entrepreneurship, creating employment, contributing to sustainable development, CSR and consumer protection and empowerment. A first important step has been taken with the European Co-operative Statute and the Communication on Co-operatives, but much more needs to be done to ensure a true level playing field between co-operatives and other forms of enterprises (e.g., in the areas of competition policy, accounting standards, etc.).