Communication from the Commission to the Council, the European Parliament and the European Economic and Social Committee - EU Consumer Policy strategy 2007-2013 - Empowering consumers, enhancing their welfare, effectively protecting them {SEC(2007) 321} {SEC(2007) 322} {SEC(2007) 323}
Date: 2007-03-13
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: consumer information, consumer policy, consumer protection, domestic market, economic development

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 

Brussels, 13.3.2007 
COM(2007) 99 final 

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE COUNCIL,  
THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND 
SOCIAL COMMITTEE 

EU Consumer Policy strategy 2007-2013 

Empowering consumers, enhancing their welfare, effectively protecting them 

{SEC(2007) 321} 
{SEC(2007) 322} 
{SEC(2007) 323} 

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COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE COUNCIL,  
THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND 
SOCIAL COMMITTEE 

EU Consumer Policy strategy 2007-2013 

Empowering consumers, enhancing their welfare, effectively protecting them 

(Text with EEA relevance) 

1. 

SUMMARY 

The  493  million  EU  consumers  are  central  to  the  three  main  challenges  facing  the  EU: 
growth,  jobs  and  the  need  to  re-connect  with  our  citizens.  They  are  the  lifeblood  of  the 
economy  as  their  consumption  represents  58%  of  EU  GDP.  Confident,  informed  and 
empowered  consumers  are  the  motor  of  economic  change  as  their  choices  drive  innovation 
and efficiency. But it is also in their role as consumers that the EU can most directly connect 
to the daily lives of our citizens and demonstrate the benefits of the EU. 

The response to these challenges lies in equipping the consumer with the skills and tools to 
fulfil their role in the modern economy; in making markets deliver for them and in ensuring 
effective protection from the risks and threats they cannot tackle as individuals. 

The internal  market has played a central  part in meeting Europe’s economic challenges and 
delivering  tangible  benefits  for  EU  citizens.  But  the  consumer  dimension  of  the  internal 
market  and  retail  markets  in  particular  needs  to  be  further  reinforced.  The  new  economic, 
social, environmental and political context calls for a change in focus of EU policy towards 
consumers. 

The place of EU consumer policy will be at the heart of the next phase of the internal market, 
as set out in the Commission’s communication to the Spring European Council on the Single 
Market Review1. 

The  internal  market  has  the  potential  to  be  the  largest  retail  market2  in  the  world.  Today,  it 
remains largely fragmented along national lines, forming 27 mini-markets instead. The advent 
of the e-commerce revolution, which has still not reached critical mass, has transformed the 
potential  for  integration  of  retail  markets  in  the  EU  to  give  a  major  stimulus  to 
competitiveness and expand the opportunities for EU citizens. While the technological means 
are  increasingly  in  place,  business  and  consumer  behaviour  lags  far  behind,  restrained 
respectively by internal market obstacles and a lack of confidence in cross-border shopping. 

1 

2 

A SINGLE MARKET FOR CITIZENS Interim report to the 2007 Spring European Council Brussels - 
COM(2007) 60, 21.2.2007. 
Retail  market  covers  economic  transactions  made  between  economic  operators  and  final  consumers 
(consumers operating outside their professional life), sometimes called the B2C (business-to-consumer) 
market. Businesses, however small, in their role as purchasers are not addressed in this strategy. 

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As well as tackling the fragmentation of the internal market, a stronger consumer dimension is 
needed  to  improve  the  functioning  of  consumer  markets.  Final  outcomes  for  consumers  in 
economic and non-economic terms are the ultimate arbiter of whether markets are failing or 
succeeding  in  terms  of  citizens’  expectations.  Markets  that  respond  more  efficiently  to 
consumer demand will perform better in competitiveness and innovation terms and be more in 
tune  with  the  lives  and  goals  of  EU  citizens.  EU  consumer  policy  can  do  much  to  shift  the 
focus of regulation towards citizen-focused outcomes. It can also address market failures that 
harm consumer welfare and social and economic inclusion by guaranteeing access to essential 
services  at  affordable  prices.  It  can  provide  the  market  tools  to  empower  citizens,  as 
consumers, to make sustainable environmental choices. It can also play a part in guaranteeing 
core  European  values  of  fairness,  openness,  solidarity,  sustainability  and  transparency  and 
exporting them internationally. 

This is an ambitious agenda for a relatively young EU policy. But the tools are available. In 
the  period  2007-2013,  consumer  policy  is  uniquely  well  placed  to  help  the  EU  rise  to  the 
challenges of growth and jobs and re-connecting with its citizens.  

The EU will know if it has succeeded if by 2013 it can credibly demonstrate to all EU citizens 
that they can shop from anywhere in the EU, from corner-shop to website, confident they are 
equally  effectively  protected,  whether  from  dangerous  products  or  rogue  traders;  and  to  be 
able to demonstrate to all retailers, but especially SMEs, that they can sell anywhere on the 
basis of a single, simple set of rules. 

In April 2005 the Commission adopted a joint strategy for health and consumer policy from 
2007-20133.  In  order  to  respond  to  a  demand  from  stakeholders,  the  Council  and  European 
Parliament, this strategy develops the strategy for consumer policy further. An analysis of the 
main  outcomes  of  the  Consumer  Policy  Strategy  2002-2006  together  with  an  Impact 
Assessment are set out in staff working papers. 

2. 

INTRODUCTION AND MAIN CHALLENGES 

2.1. 

Complex markets, confident consumers 

Consumer  policy  is  increasingly  at  the  crossroads  of  the  main  challenges  that  face  our 
citizens, economy and societies. The sophistication of retail markets is increasing the role of 
consumers. The greater empowerment of consumers has also led to greater responsibilities for 
them to manage their own affairs. While many can benefit, the most vulnerable are less well 
equipped  –  and  the  growth  in  consumption  by  children  and  an  ageing  population  are 
increasing  the  number  of  more  vulnerable  consumers.  Our  need  for  confident  consumers  to 
drive our economies has never been greater however. 

Services  in  general  and  liberalised  services  in  particular  are  set  to  grow,  as  electricity,  gas, 
post and telecommunications liberalisation develops further. While considerable benefits can 
be  expected,  the  transition  will  pose  challenges  for  consumers  and  regulators  to  ensure 
consumer welfare is maximised. Goods and services will be increasingly interlinked. 

3 

"Healthier,  Safer,  more  confident  citizens:  a  health  and  consumer  protection  strategy"  -  COM(2005) 
115. 

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The technological revolution brought about by the Internet and digitalisation will  also grow 
even faster. The key driver is the rollout of broadband technology, which is likely to give a 
significant  boost  to  e-commerce.  E-commerce  has  great  potential  to  improve  consumer 
welfare,  by  making  a  greater  range  of  products  available,  boosting  price  competition  and 
developing  new  markets.  It  also  brings  significant  new  challenges  for  consumers,  business 
and consumer protection. In particular it weakens the grip of traditional advertising and retail 
mediums  over  consumer  markets.  This  will  challenge  traditional  modes  of  regulation,  self-
regulation and enforcement. SMEs will have more direct access to consumers and goods and 
services will be increasingly tailored to the individual. But traditional consumer rights will be 
less and less adapted to the digital age. 

Globalisation of production will also continue; leading to ever more goods consumed in the 
EU  being  imported.  Traders  will  increasingly  sell  to  EU  consumers  via  e-commerce  from 
anywhere  in  the  world.  This  increases  the  challenge,  but  also  the  need  to  ensure  effective 
market surveillance. 

2.2. 

The role for EU consumer policy 

The internal market has the potential to be in economic terms the biggest retail market in the 
world. EU Consumer policy is therefore central to addressing the changes set out under 2.1. It 
can  address  problems  that  individuals  lack  the  capacity  to  tackle.  It  ensures  goods  and 
services  are  safe  and  that  markets  are  fair  and  transparent,  so  that  consumers  can  exercise 
informed  choice  and  rogue  traders  are  excluded.  Consumer  policy  can  equip  consumers  to 
make  rational  choices  and  take  on  responsibility  to  promote  their  own  interests.  Consumer 
confidence  in  the  operation  of  the  internal  market  will  also  serve  to  make  the  EU  a  trusted 
destination for e-commerce from the rest of the world. 

The  EU’s  role  in  managing  these  changes  will  continue  to  increase.  The  internal  market 
remains  the  fundamental  context  for  consumer  policy.  Consumer  policy  is  also  key  to 
improving  the  functioning  of  the  internal  market.  The  2004  and  2007  enlargements  of  the 
internal  market  have  brought  specific  new  challenges.  The  relatively  recent  development  of 
open markets and adoption of consumer protection rules in these Member States mean that the 
rights and obligations found in EU consumer policy are less deeply ingrained in the behaviour 
of consumers, enforcement agencies and businesses.  

Retail markets remain predominantly fragmented along national lines, although for a growing 
number of sectors, for example air travel and music, technological obstacles to an integrated 
EU  retail  market  no  longer  remain.  The  potential  therefore  exists  for  deeper  EU-wide  retail 
markets. Opening up cross-border retail markets is the key to unlocking the potential of the 
retail internal market. As cross-border shopping develops as a credible alternative to national 
markets,  consumers  both  have  greater  choice  and  national  markets  are  subject  to  greater 
competition. This ‘integration effect’ does not require all or even most consumers to do most 
of their  shopping across border. The Commission’s experience in  removing obstacles  to the 
cross-border  sale  of  new  vehicles  shows  that  it  is  enough  for  cross-border  shopping  to  be  a 
credible alternative for competition to be enhanced in domestic markets.  

There are some signs that the cross-border retail market is growing in the EU. In 2006, 26% 
of  consumers  made  at  least  one  cross-border  purchase  in  the  previous  twelve  months, 

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compared to 12% in 20034. E-commerce is becoming a more popular sales channel: in 2006 
27%  of  all  consumers  made  a  purchase  through  e-commerce  but  only  6%  did  so  across 
borders. 50% of consumer with an internet connection at home made e-commerce purchases 
but  only  12%  of  them  across  borders.  57%  of  EU  retailers  (mostly  SMEs)  sell  through  e-
commerce  and  49%  of  them  would  be  prepared  to  sell  cross-border  in  at  least  one  EU 
country5.  But  only  29%  actually  do  so.  The  figures  for  financial  services  are  even  more 
striking:  26%  of  consumers  have  bought  a  financial  service  at  a  distance  from  a  seller  or 
provider based in their home country, but only 1% have done so cross-border. These figures 
show  the  need  for  action  to  increase  consumer  confidence  in  the  retail  side  of  the  internal 
market.  

The  obstacles  to  a  fully-fledged  retail  internal  market  are  numerous  –  as  well  as  a  lack  of 
confidence there are also regulatory obstacles. National consumer policy cannot resolve these 
issues  alone.  A  start  has  been  made  to  tackle  the  most  important  –  the  Unfair  Commercial 
Practices (UCP) directive6, the Regulation on Consumer Protection Cooperation (CPC)7 and 
the  European  Consumer  Centre  (ECC)  Network8  provide  a  solid  start.  The  euro  has  also 
greatly  facilitated  cross-border  price  comparison  for  consumers.  However,  significant 
obstacles remain, notably in the area of consumer contracts and redress. 

The Treaty also mandates the integration of consumer interests into all EU policies. As set out 
in the Commission’s communication on the Single Market Review, the consumer dimension 
should play a greater part in the development of all single market related policies.  

3. 

OBJECTIVES 

In the period 2007-2013, consumer policy is uniquely well placed to help the EU rise to the 
twin challenges of growth and jobs and re-connecting with its citizens. The Commission will 
have three main objectives over this period: 

•  To  empower  EU  consumers.  Putting  consumers  in  the  driving  seat  benefits 
citizens  but  also  boosts  competition  significantly.  Empowered  consumers  need 
real  choices,  accurate  information,  market  transparency  and  the  confidence  that 
comes from effective protection and solid rights. 

•  To  enhance  EU  consumers’  welfare  in  terms  of  price,  choice,  quality,  diversity, 
affordability  and  safety.  Consumer  welfare  is  at  the  heart  of  well-functioning 
markets. 

4 

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8 

Special Eurobarometer No 252 "Consumer protection in the Internal Market", 
http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/topics/eurobarometer_09-2006_en.pdf 
Flash Eurobarometer No 186 "Business attitudes towards cross-border sales and consumer protection" 
http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/topics/flash_eb_186_ann_report_en.pdf 
Directive 2005/29/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 May 2005 concerning unfair 
business-to-consumer commercial practices in the internal market (OJ L 149, 11.6.2005, p. 22). 
Regulation (EC) No 2006/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 October 2004 on 
cooperation between national authorities responsible for the enforcement of consumer protection laws 
(OJ L 364, 9.12.2004, p. 1). 
http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/redress/ecc_network/index_en.htm 

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•  To  protect  consumers  effectively  from  the  serious  risks  and  threats  that  they 
cannot  tackle  as  individuals.  A  high  level  of  protection  against  these  threats  is 
essential to consumer confidence. 

The Commission’s aim is to achieve in this way by 2013 a more integrated and more effective 
internal market, in particular the retail dimension. Consumers will have an equally high level 
of  confidence  in  products,  traders,  technologies  and  selling  methods  in  retail  markets 
throughout  the  EU  based  on  an  equally  high  level  of  protection.  Consumer  markets  will  be 
competitive,  open,  transparent  and  fair.  Products  and  services  will  be  safe.  Consumers  will 
have  access  to  essential  services  at  affordable  prices.  Traders,  but  especially  SMEs,  will  be 
able to market and sell simply to consumers throughout the EU.  

In achieving these three objectives the Commission will be guided by the relevant articles of 
the Treaty which are also reflected in the operational objectives of the new consumer financial 
programme  2007-20139  which  sets  out  the  legal  framework  for  EU  consumer  policy 
expenditure in the period covered by the strategy: 

(a)  To  ensure  a  high  level  of  consumer  protection  through  a  simple  legal 
framework, improved evidence, better consultation and better representation of 
consumers’ interests. 

(b)  To  ensure  the  effective  application  of  the  rules  notably  through  enforcement 

cooperation, information, education and redress. 

Although the financial resources for consumer policy are limited, the programme provides a 
number of different instruments to support the priorities set out below, notably on consumer 
enforcement, information and education.  

4. 

PRIORITIES 

These objectives reflect a high degree of continuity with previous EU consumer policy goals. 
2007-2013 will however see a change in gear from the past and different priorities for action. 
In  particular  EU  consumer  policy  will  interact  more  closely  with  other  policies  both  at  EU 
level.  Much  closer  cooperation  with  the  Member  States  will  also  be  pursued,  reflecting  the 
growing  interdependence  between  EU  and  national  consumer  policies.  There  have  been 
suggestions  that  the  circumstances  of  consumers  in  the  12  new  Member  States  call  for  a 
completely separate strategy10. In its consultations on the present document the Commission 
found little support for this view. To attain the objectives set out above, EU consumer policy 
will focus on the following priority areas: 

Better monitoring of consumer markets and national consumer policies 

Better  Regulation  and  the  need  to  re-connect  with  EU  citizens  call  for  the  greater 
development of monitoring tools and indicators to assess market function in consumer terms. 
Policymakers also need to develop a more sophisticated understanding of consumer behaviour 
to  devise  better  regulation.  Tools  are  needed  to  monitor  markets  in  terms  of  core  outcomes 
such as safety, satisfaction, price and complaints but also to monitor better the integration of 

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10 

Decision No 1926/2006/EC of 18 December 2006 (OJ L 404, 30.12.2006, p. 39). 
European  Parliament  resolution  of  15  December  2005on  the  promotion  and  protection  of  consumers' 
interests in the new Member States. 

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the retail internal market and the effectiveness of national consumer policy regimes. To reflect 
the significant contribution of national consumer policy to competitiveness, consumer policy 
should be recognised in the implementation of the Lisbon Strategy at EU and national level. 
Consumer  and  competition  policymakers  and  enforcers  at  EU  and  national  level  should 
cooperate more closely to further their common goal of consumer welfare. 

Better consumer protection regulation 

The existing consumer protection rules at EU level guarantee core consumer protection in all 
Member  States.  In  many,  they  are  the  cornerstone  of  national  consumer  protection  regimes. 
However, the EU contribution is not widely known by consumers, although, it is a reality in 
their  daily  lives.  For  example,  as  many  as  15%  of  consumers  have  returned  a  defective 
product in the previous twelve months11 a right which is guaranteed by the EU rules. The EU 
rules are also increasingly ill adapted to the digital economy revolution in products, services 
and retail channels. The Commission has recently launched a major consultation12. 

Most  of  the  existing  EU  consumer  rules  are  based  on  the  principle  of  ‘minimum 
harmonisation’.  Legislation  explicitly  recognises  the  right  of  Member  States  to  add  stricter 
rules  to  the  EU  rules  which  set  a  floor.  This  approach  was  entirely  valid  at  a  time  when 
consumer  rights  were  very  different  between  the  Member  States  and  e-commerce  was  non-
existent. The previous strategy13 set out a new approach based on “full harmonisation”. This 
simply  means  that,  in  order  both  to  improve  the  internal  market  and  to  protect  consumers, 
legislation should not, within its given scope, leave room for further rules at national level.  

The  Commission’s  recent  Green  Paper  set  out  the  three  main  options:  full  harmonisation, 
possibly  complemented  on  a  case-by-case  basis  by  mutual  recognition  for  certain  non 
essential  aspects  not  fully  harmonised;  minimum  harmonisation  with  mutual  recognition; 
minimum harmonisation with the country of origin approach.  

In future, each regulatory problem and the need for any proposals will continue to be judged 
on  its  own  merits  and  the  full  range  of  regulatory  instruments  considered.  If  legislative 
proposals are identified as the appropriate response, targeted full harmonisation of consumer 
protection rules at an appropriately high level will tend to be the Commission’s approach. The 
Commission will also carry out a robust Impact Assessment of any legislative proposals and 
work closely with stakeholders to understand fully the impact of the different options and to 
build consensus on the way forward so that consumer policy is a model of Better Regulation.  

The choice the EU faces is a clear one: if it is serious about the growth and jobs agenda, it 
needs  a  well-functioning  Internal  Market.  A  well-functioning  Internal  Market  requires 
harmonisation  on  certain  issues.  Harmonisation  is  not  possible  without  Member  States' 
willingness to adjust certain practices and rules. At the same time, the Commission will not 
instigate a race to the bottom. It will always strive for a high level of protection. 

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Special Eurobarometer  No 252 "Consumer protection in the Internal Market", 
http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/topics/eurobarometer_09-2006_en.pdf 
GREEN PAPER on the Review of the Consumer Acquis - COM(2006) 744. 
Consumer policy strategy 2002-2006 - COM(2002) 208. 

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Better enforcement and redress 

The  previous  strategy  placed  a  strong  emphasis  on  enforcement  and  this  will  continue.  The 
application of consumer law calls for action from many actors: consumers; traders, the media, 
consumer  NGO’s,  self-regulatory  bodies  and  public  authorities.  Action  will  focus  on 
implementing the initiatives that have been started, filling the gaps that remain and ensuring 
coordination and coherence. The Commission will also monitor the effectiveness of national 
enforcement regimes through surveys and other tools. 

Better informed and educated consumers 

The EU can add significant value to national, regional and local efforts to inform and educate 
consumers,  through  close  cooperation  with  the  Member  States.  In  particular  the  European 
Consumer Centre network should develop further as the EU's interface with consumers. 

Putting consumers at the heart of other EU policies and regulation 

Consumers are directly affected by many EU policies such as the internal market, enterprise, 
environment,  financial  services,  transport,  competition,  energy  and  trade.  Progress  has  been 
made  in  the  integration  of  consumer  interests  notably  in  product  safety,  transport, 
telecommunications,  energy,  and  competition.  The  aim  for  the  future  is  to  build  on  these 
achievements in order to make integration of consumer interests more systematic.  

There are two main issues to be addressed. First, while liberalisation of essential services has 
delivered considerable benefits for most consumers, safeguards will continue to be needed for 
the few for who markets do not work. Affordable access to essential services for all is both 
essential  for  a  modern  and  flexible  economy  but  also  for  social  inclusion.  Showing  that  no 
consumer  is  left  behind  will  also  help  to  sustain  political  support  for  measures  on  essential 
services. Second, measures at EU level also require a greater emphasis on the monitoring of 
key consumer markets to ensure positive outcomes for consumers. Finally, essential services 
also  need  stronger  guarantees  of  market  transparency  and  better  complaint  and  redress 
mechanisms. 

5. 

ACTIONS 

Although these priorities are specific to EU consumer policy, an evaluation of impact of the 
previous  strategy14  on  national  consumer  policies  showed  that  there  is  a  high  degree  of 
overlap with national policies. In order to ensure close coordination with national consumer 
policies  the  existing  Consumer  Policy  Network  of  senior  consumer  policy  officials  will 
provide a forum for policy coordination and development.  

5.1. 

Better monitoring of consumer markets and national consumer policies 

A number of new tools are needed to develop a consumer-oriented monitoring of the internal 
market.  Indicators  and  statistics  will  be  developed  in  the  following  area:  the  level  of  cross-
border  B2C  trade;  price  convergence/divergence,  legal  compliance,  confidence,  consumer 
complaints, prices, access and satisfaction. In addition work will be carried out to develop a 

14 

http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/overview/cons_policy/index_en.htm 

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richer  understanding  of  consumer  behaviour,  in  particular  to  understand  how  rational 
consumers are in practice and how new technologies and marketing practices affect them. 

The Seventh Framework Programme for Research and Technology Development will also be 
used  to  increase  understanding  of  consumer  behaviour.  In  relation  to  consumer  economic 
interests and product safety, as well as food and health, research actions and funding schemes 
are  planned  to  reduce  the  fragmentation  of  research  activities  in  consumer  science,  by 
bringing  together  disciplines  such  as  economics,  social  and  cognitive  sciences.  The 
strengthening of this discipline on its own will help the Commission to make better policies 
and regulation on the basis of a more empirical understanding of consumer behaviour across a 
range of EU policies. 

A more systematic monitoring of national consumer policies, using benchmarks, will also be 
developed.  Across  EU  policies,  the  Commission  will  seek  to  develop  consumer-oriented, 
statistics  and  data  gathering.  There  is  a  significant  lack  of  consumer  and  demand-side 
statistics. Eurostat has a significant role to play in gathering 'hard' consumer data, such as that 
on comparable prices and validating 'soft' statistics.  

In  the  safety  area,  the  main  priorities  will  be  the  EU  wide  system  for  the  collection  of 
harmonised data on product and service related accidents and injuries; improvement of the 
evidence base on the risks related to the safety of products and services; and the existing joint 
research project EIS-Chem Risks (the European Information System on “Risks from chemical 
products released from consumer products/articles”). 

5.2. 

Better consumer protection regulation 

The ongoing review is designed to modernise the EU consumer rules, simplify and improve 
the  regulatory  environment  for  both  business  and  consumers.  The  Commission’s  initial 
findings and possible options are set out in the Green Paper on the review of the Consumer 
Acquis, adopted on 8 February 2007. If further work confirms the preliminary findings, the 
Commission  will  make  proposals  in  2008.  Any  proposals  would  also  represent  the  first 
outcomes of the Commission's work on a common frame of reference for European contract 
law. 

The Commission will also address problems that are specific to particular directives. So far, a 
number of problems related to long term tourism products have been identified and a proposal 
will be made to amend the Timeshare Directive15 in 2007. Work will continue to ensure the 
adoption  of  the  proposal16  for  a  new  Directive  on  consumer  credit.  The  Commission  will 
report  on  Directive  2002/65/EC  concerning  the  distance  marketing  of  consumer  financial 
services17.  

The  Commission  will  report  in  2007  on  the  operation  of  the  General  Product  Safety 
Directive18 (GPSD) Directive, covering: the improved traceability of products; functioning of 

15 

16 
17 

18 

Directive 94/47/EC of the European Parliament and the Council of 26 October 1994 on the protection 
of  purchasers  in  respect  of  certain  aspects  of  contracts  relating  to  the  purchase  of  the  right  to  use 
immovable properties on a timeshare basis (OJ L 280, 29.10.1994, p. 83). 
COM(2005) 483. 
Directive 2002/65/EC of 23 September 2002 concerning the distance marketing of consumer financial 
services (OJ L 271, 9.10.2002, p. 16). 
Directive 2001/95/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 3 December 2001 on general 
product safety (OJ L 11, 15.1.2002, p. 4). 

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market  surveillance;  standardisation  work;  and  Community  prohibition  measures.  The  'New 
Approach'  to  product  safety  regulation  and  the  GPSD  have  considerably  increased  the 
importance  of  standards  as  a  legislative  tool.  Continued  support  for  the  European 
Association for the Co-ordination of Consumer Representation in Standardisation (ANEC) is 
therefore  essential  to  ensuring  consumer  participation  in  the  standardisation  process.  The 
Commission  will  also  work  to  ensure  that  the  EU  consumer  interest  is  represented  in 
international standardisation.  

European  level  consumer  organisations  need  the  opportunity  and  the  capacity  to  make  an 
input into EU initiatives which have a consumer dimension. The Commission will therefore 
continue to co-finance operational functioning of European level consumer organisations. 
The  European  Consumer  Consultative  Group  (ECCG)19  will  continue  to  be  the  main 
forum  for  the  Commission  to  consult  national  and  European  consumer  organisations,  while 
also developing specialist user groups and forums such as the FIN-USE panel of users and the 
financial and competition sub-groups of the ECCG. 

The  consumer  movement  varies  substantially  across  the  EU,  both  in  terms  of  strength, 
structure and capacity. The Commission will therefore continue support for national consumer 
organisations, in particular from new Member States, through training for them in core skills 
(management, lobbying, and consumer law) but also more specialised subjects. This training 
will continue to be organised on a multilateral basis. A strong consumer movement at national 
level  is  essential  both  to  a  strong  EU  consumer  movement  and  to  well-functioning  national 
markets. As part of its monitoring of national consumer policy regimes, the Commission will 
pay  special  attention  to  national  policy  towards  the  consumer  movement,  in  particular  in 
Member States where it is weakest.  

5.3. 

Better enforcement and redress 

Implementation and Enforcement  

The  Commission  will  continue  to  work  together  with  Member  States  to  achieve  timely  and 
uniform transposition of the unfair commercial practices Directive.  

Co-operation  between  the  public  authorities  responsible  for  the  enforcement  of  rules  on 
consumer protection and product safety is key to the functioning of the internal market. The 
market surveillance and Rapid Alert System ('RAPEX') will continue to be developed as the 
caseload  grows  (67  notifications  in  2003,  701  in  2005).  The  tool  for  economic  operators  to 
notify  dangerous  products  will  be  further  developed.  The  Commission  will  continue  to 
promote  the  European  Product  Safety  Network  and  co-fund  joint  actions  between 
enforcement authorities in order to identify best practices in existing market surveillance. 

The operation of the new Consumer protection Co-operation (CPC) regulation will bring 
about a sea change in the way enforcement authorities in the Member States cooperate among 
themselves  and  with  the  Commission.  The  main  challenge  for  the  coming  years  will  be  to 
ensure that the considerable legal, institutional and administrative measures already taken are 
implemented  effectively  and  lead  to  effective  cooperation  on  the  ground,  to  the  benefit  of 
consumers and honest businesses.  

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Redress 

If consumers are to have sufficient confidence in shopping outside their own Member State 
and take advantage of the internal market, they need assurance that if things go wrong they 
have effective mechanisms to seek redress. Consumer disputes require tailored mechanisms 
that do not impose costs and delays disproportionate to the value at stake.  

The  Commission  will  reinforce  the  monitoring  and  encourage  the  use  of  the  existing 
recommendations20  which  establish  a  number  of  minimum  guarantees  for  Alternative 
Disputes Resolution (ADR) schemes.  

The Injunctions Directive21 has established a common procedure to allow consumer bodies 
to stop unlawful practices that harm the collective interest of consumers anywhere in the EU. 
The  Commission  will  report  on  the  Injunctions  Directive  in  2007  and  launch  a  public 
consultation concerning its impact. The Commission will complete a study of the situation. It 
will  also  consider  action  on  collective  redress  mechanisms  for  consumers  both  for 
infringements of consumer protection rules and for breaches of EU anti-trust rules in line with 
its 2005 Green Paper on private damages actions. 

5.4. 

Better informed and educated consumers 

The  European  Consumer  Centres  Network  (ECC-Net)  aims  to  promote  consumer 
confidence  by  advising  citizens  on  their  rights  as  consumers  and  providing  easy  access  to 
redress in cross  border cases. The Commission will  continue  to co-finance and manage  this 
network with Member States and establish centres in each Member State. 

The cycle of information campaigns in the new Member States, designed to raise awareness 
about consumer rights and the role of consumer NGO’s, will be completed.  

The Commission will increase the number of copies of the Europa School Diary and include 
other issues which are of interest to young people, in particular sustainable consumption. The 
Commission  will  encourage  the  development  of  new  adult  education  modules  and  update 
existing  ones22  so  as  to  cover  core  consumer  issues.  The  Commission  will  encourage  the 
development of modular, high quality education courses in consumer issues, at post graduate 
level.  

Empowered  and  informed  consumers  can  more  easily  make  changes  in  lifestyle  and 
consumption  patterns  contributing  to  the  improvement  of  their  health,  more  sustainable 
lifestyles  and  a  low  carbon  economy.  Consumers  are  major  contributors  to  environmental 
challenges such as climate change, air and water pollution, land use and waste. The protection 
of the environment and the fight against climate change calls for better information in areas, 
such as energy and transportation, where informed consumers could make a real difference. 

20 

21 

22 

Commission Recommendation 98/257/EC of 30 March 1998 on the principles applicable to the bodies 
responsible for out-of-court settlement of consumer disputes (OJ L 115, 17.4.1998, p. 31); Commission 
Recommendation 2001/310/EC of 4 April 2001 on the principles for out-of-court bodies involved in the 
consensual resolution of consumer disputes (OJ L 109, 19.4.2001, p. 56). 
Directive 98/27/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 May 1998 on injunctions for 
the protection of consumers’ interests (OJ 166, 11.6.1998, p. 51). 
www.dolceta.eu  

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5.5. 

Putting consumers at the heart of other EU policies and regulation 

The  Single  Market  review  has  called  for  further  action  on  retail  financial  services.  The 
Commission's  recent  sector  inquiry23  also  found  that  retail  banking  markets  remain 
fragmented  and  competition  barriers  persist.  The  Commission  will  adopt  a  Green  Paper  on 
retail financial services and a White paper on mortgage credit. The Commission will analyse 
obstacles  that  consumers  encounter  when  opening,  closing  or  switching  bank  accounts  and 
will tackle competition problems in the retail banking sector.  

The  Commission’s  objective  is  to  make  sure  that  services  of  general  interest  (SGI)  policy 
goes hand in hand with appropriate measures for consumers. It will also see to it that where 
appropriate, universal service at EU and Member State level is safeguarded. The Commission 
will  address  the  issue  of  horizontal  consumer  rights  applying  in  all  SGIs  in  its  forthcoming 
Communication on Services of General Interest. It will also continue to empower and protect 
consumers in sectoral SGI legislation.  

The  Commission  will  build  on  passenger  rights  developed  in  the  aviation  sector  in  other 
transport  modes,  in  particular  for  passengers  with  reduced  mobility.  It  will  also  adopt  an 
energy customers' charter.  

The  Commission  will  develop  better  coordination  of  the  concerns  and  priorities  of  the 
different relevant policies concerned  with consumer non-food safety (e.g. consumer, health, 
enterprise and industry, environment, transport) and security (e.g. air transport). 

With  the  ECCG,  the  Commission  will  continue  to  ensure  consumer  participation  in  all 
relevant  policy  groups  and  in  principle,  consumer  attendance  at  all  such  groups  will  be 
reimbursed  by  each  policy  area.  The  Commission  will  also  examine  how  to  better  involve 
consumer policy stakeholders more actively in consultations organised by other EU policies 
on  proposals  with  a  major  effect  on  consumers24.  Each  Commission  department  with  a 
significant  consumer  interest  will  appoint  a  consumer  liaison  officer,  as  pioneered  by  the 
Department  for  Competition,  in  order  to  liaise  with  consumer  stakeholders  and  ensure  each 
policy area gathers the necessary evidence to monitor the impact of its policies on consumers.  

5.6. 

Better protection of EU consumers in international markets 

Regulators  and  enforcers  throughout  the  world  have  a  common  interest  in  co-operation  in 
detecting unsafe products, risks and carrying out risk assessments. In 2005, the Commission 
concluded  co-operation  agreements  with  the  US  Consumer  Product  Safety  Commission  and 
the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of the People’s 
Republic  of  China  (AQSIQ)  in  the  field  of  consumer  product  safety.  The  Commission  will 
strengthen  co-operation  with  US  and  Chinese  authorities  on  the  basis  of  the  existing 
agreements and will seek to develop new agreements, where appropriate.  

The growth in e-commerce means that rogue traders are free to operate internationally. The 
CPC regulation provides for international agreements on mutual assistance between the EU 
and third countries. The Commission will seek negotiating mandates from the Council for the 

23 
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http://ec.europa.eu/comm/competition/antitrust/others/sector_inquiries/financial_services 
This  involvement  of  interested  parties  in  the  policy-shaping  process  is  also  one  of  the  strands  of  the 
Green Paper on a European Transparency Initiative - COM(2006) 194. 

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adoption  of  such  agreements  with  countries  where  there  are  major  retail  trade  flows,  and 
where there is interest in co-operation. 

6. 

CONCLUSIONS 

Consumer policy is uniquely well placed to help the EU rise to the twin challenges of growth 
and  jobs  and  re-connecting  with  its  citizens.  The  Commission's  vision  is  to  be  able  to 
demonstrate to all EU citizens by 2013 that they can shop from anywhere in the EU , from 
corner-shop  to  website,  confident  they  are  equally  effectively  protected;  and  to  be  able  to 
demonstrate to all retailers that they can sell anywhere on the basis of a single, simple set of 
rules.  

The Commissioner for Consumer Protection will on the occasion of European Consumer Day 
(15 March) every year deliver a speech outlining the progress that has been made. It will also 
keep the Council, Parliament and the Member States regularly informed. Before March 2011 
the  Commission  will  produce  a  mid-term  report  and  before  December  2015  an  ex-post 
evaluation report. 

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