WRITTEN QUESTION E-2551/99 by Christopher Huhne (ELDR) to the Commission. Financial services ombudsman.
Date: 2000-01-04
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: associated action for damages, bank, common commercial policy, cross-border cooperation, electronic commerce

3.10.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 280 E/73

field of public health (1996-2000) (2) and the final report is now available. The Commission has launched
an evaluation to be completed by April 2000 of the OISIN and Falcone programmes, which cover Justice
and Home Affairs. The Commission has launched an evaluation of
the Community(cid:146)s North/South
Cooperation in the fight against drugs and drug addiction since 1991, which should be completed
by October 2000.

In addition, the Commission has sent the Parliament the agenda and the working documents for the
meetings of the committee of the programme of Community action on the prevention of drug dependence
(1996-2000); annual reports on the activities of
including a
description of the projects financed each year, and annual reports in 1996, 1997 and 1998 on the
implementation of Council Regulation 2046/97 of 13 October 1997 on North-South cooperation in the
campaign against drugs and drug addiction.

the OISIN and Falcone programmes,

More detailed information on these programmes and others that concern drugs are transmitted direct to
the Secretariat of the Parliament and to the Honourable Members.

(1) COM(99) 239 final.
(2) COM(99) 463 final.

(2000/C 280 E/072)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2551/99

by Christopher Huhne (ELDR) to the Commission

(4 January 2000)

Subject: Financial services ombudsman

Would the Commission please state whether it
is satisfied with the adequacy of consumer redress
procedures in the case of an internet bank which is based in one Member State but takes deposits or
makes loans in others?

If not, will it consider making proposals for means of redress for consumers/borrowers/bank depositors (cid:129)
such as the ombudsman scheme in the UK or other (cid:146)soft law(cid:146) schemes (cid:129) which fall short of having to take
civil action in the host country of the bank concerned?

Answer given by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission

(24 February 2000)

The possibility of obtaining out-of-court consumer redress in case of a conflict between a bank and its
customer exists in nearly all the Member States. These schemes also normally cover bank services which
are offered via the Internet. With regard to cross-border transactions, the present situation is unsatisfactory
since there is little cross-border co-operation between the existing complaint bodies.

As said in the action plan for implementing the framework for financial markets (1) the Commission is
encouraging networking between these bodies with a view to resolving cross-border disputes by develop-
ment of an Union-wide complaints network. The operation of
this network will be based on the
Commission Recommendation 98/257 of 30.3.1998 on the principles applicable to the bodies responsible
for out-of-court settlement of consumer disputes (2).

A first meeting on cross-border redress with representatives from national complaint bodies in the banking
and insurance sectors was held in October 1999 and the second in February 2000. There is wide-spread
support from national complaint bodies to co-operate effectively cross-border. Progress will be reported in
the regular progress report on the action plan.

(1) COM(99) 232 final.
(2) COM(98) 198 final.