Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament pursuant to the second subparagraph of Article 251 (2) of the EC Treaty concerning the common position of the Council on the adoption of a Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a programme of Community action in the field of consumer policy (2007-2013)
Date: 2006-11-14
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU action, action programme, consumer information, consumer movement, consumer policy, consumer protection

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 

Brussels, 14.11.2006 
COM(2006) 700 final 

2005/0042B (COD) 

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION 
TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT 

pursuant to the second subparagraph of Article 251 (2) of the EC Treaty 

concerning the  

common position of the Council on the adoption of a Decision of the European 
Parliament and of the Council establishing a programme of Community action in the 
field of consumer policy (2007-2013) 

EN 

   EN 

 
 
 
  
 
 
2005/0042B (COD) 

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION 
TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT 

pursuant to the second subparagraph of Article 251 (2) of the EC Treaty 

concerning the 

common position of the Council on the adoption of a Decision of the European 
Parliament and of the Council establishing a programme of Community action in the 
field of consumer policy (2007-2013) 

(text with EEA relevance) 

1. 

BACKGROUND 

Date of transmission of the proposal to the EP and the Council 
(document COM(2005)115 – 2005/0042B (COD) 

13 April 2005

Date of the opinion of the Committee of the Regions: 

16 February 2006

Date of the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee 

14 February 2006

Date of the opinion of the European Parliament, first reading: 

Date of the revised proposal of the Commission 
(document COM(2006) 235)  

Date of the political agreement in the Council 

Date of adoption of the common position: 

23 March 2006

24 May 2006

25 September 2006

13 November 2006

2. 

OBJECTIVE OF THE COMMISSION PROPOSAL 

The  programme  aims  to  contribute  to  protecting  the  safety  and  economic  interests  of 
consumers,  and  promoting  their  right  to  information  and  education.  It  enables  the  EU  to 
complement,  support  and  monitor  the  policies  of  the  Member  States,  to  support  consumer 
organisations,  to  enforce  EU  consumer  legislation,  and  help  the  European  consumers  to 
become  active  players  in  the  internal  market.  The  programme  for  2007-2013  will  have  two 
through  effective 
main  objectives: 
representation  of  consumer  interests,  and  to  ensure  that  consumer  protection  rules  are 
effectively applied, i.e. through enforcement, cooperation, information, education and redress.  

levels  of  consumer  protection, 

to  ensure  high 

These  objectives  shall  be  achieved  through  a  combination  of  actions  and  instruments, 
according to the priorities set out in the annual work plans. 

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3. 

COMMENTS ON THE COMMON POSITION 

On 25 September 2006, the Council reached by unanimity a political agreement on the draft 
Decision  establishing  a  programme  of  Community  action  in  the  field  of  consumer  policy 
(2007-2013). It was largely based on the Commission's modified proposal issued on 24 May 
2006.  This  modified  proposal  took  into  account  the  substantial  shortfall  in  the  programme 
budget resulting from the inter-institutional agreement on the financial perspectives; as well 
as  the  formal  views  expressed  by  the  European  Parliament  in  first  reading.  It  introduced 
substantial  modifications  to  the  original  proposal  and  split  it  between  a  public  health 
programme and a consumer policy programme.  

During  the  discussion  on  the  modified  proposal  some  members  of  the  Council  had 
reservations on specific projects, on the establishment of a European Master programme and 
scholarship  grants;  and  the  European  Parliament  also  had  reservations  on  the  European 
Master programme as well as on decentralised actions and vulnerable consumers.  

All the Member State reservations were finally lifted with a view to reach an agreement given 
the need for an early adoption of the programme. The common position consequently reflects 
the results of these inter-institutional contacts and is supported by the Commission.  

4. 

CONCLUSION 

The Commission considers that the common position adopted on 13.11.2006 by unanimity is 
in line with the essential objectives and underlying approach of its modified proposal. It notes 
that the Chair of the EP IMCO committee confirmed that, should the Council reach a political 
agreement  on  the  basis  of  the  Presidency  compromise  text,  he  would  recommend  the 
committee  to  adopt  the  common  position  without  amendments.  The  Commission  can 
therefore  support  the  common  position  which  reflects  the  agreement  reached  between  the 
three institutions. 

EN 

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   EN