Council resolution

of 25 June 1987

on consumer redress

(87/C 176/02)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community,

Having regard to the memorandum and the supplementary communication from the Commission on consumer redress,

Having regard to the Council resolution of 23 June 1986 concerning the future orientation of the policy of the European Economic Community for the protection and promotion of consumer interests [1],

Having regard to the resolution of the European Parliament of 13 March 1987 on consumer redress [2],

Considering the obstacles confronting consumers who seek compensation in connection with complaints and in the event of injury suffered owing to the purchase or use of defective products or inadequate services;

Considering the right of consumers to such compensation by means of rapid, effective and inexpensive procedures, which could also benefit the other economic partners;

Whereas this principle is an integral part of the European Community's programmes to help consumers;

Considering the Community economic context where, on the whole, consumer choice is becoming ever wider but where, at the same time the conditions of supply are becoming less and less perceptible to the individual consumer;

Whereas the growing Community dimension of the problem of consumer redress calls for greater interest on the part of the Community in complaints and disputes arising from professional activities across frontiers and from direct contacts between consumers in one Member State and professional or trade undertakings in another Member State;

Considering the important role played by consumer organizations and of public bodies and institutions whose duties include consumer protection,

1. welcomes with interest the communication sent to it by the Commission and notes the Commission's analysis of the way in which consumers' interests could in future be taken into account with regard to consumer redress; invites the Commission to supplement it in view of the enlargement of the Community;

2. recognizes the importance of an appropriate treatment of consumers' complaints and the value of providing appropriate means of redress;

3. reaffirms in particular its commitment to principles aimed at improving consumer redress;

4. takes note of the Commission's action programme in this area and of the budgetary needs which the Commission considers to be required for its implementation;

5. requests the authorities of the Member States in which practical initiatives launched with the assistance of the Commission have produced positive results to give appropriate attention to such initiatives in order to examine the possibility of implementing them on a wider basis;

6. stresses the important role of consumer organizations and of public bodies and institutions whose duties include consumer protection in the area of consumer redress and calls on the Member States to help them fulfil this task;

7. invites the Commission to continue to study the role of these organizations, bodies and institutions as intermediaries or as direct agents in consumer redress and to examine whether an initiative at Community level would be suitable in this area.

[1] OJ No C 167, 5. 7. 1986, p. 1.

[2] OJ No C 99, 13. 4. 1987, p. 203.

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