4.2.2022
EN
Official Journal of the European Union
C 61/31
12. underlines the lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and the importance of maintaining a high level of consumer protection in times of crisis; in this regard, also recommends carrying out the necessary regulatory reviews in order to establish the consequences of exceptional circumstances in consumer contracts before the situation arises (rebus sic stantibus clause).
Such an approach, taking into account the principles of anticipation and forecasting, would strengthen consumer protection; 13. encourages the Commission to analyse the long-term repercussions of the COVID-19 crisis on Europeans’ consumption patterns and to build on this analysis to develop future EU policy initiatives in this area; 14.
in this regard, backs initiatives to support local businesses, including small producers and promote the local craft industry; 15. stresses, moreover, that, with clearer and more comprehensive information, consumer law could promote stronger short supply chains for agricultural and food production, thereby reducing transport-related greenhouse gas emissions; in this regard, emphasises the importance of involving local and regional authorities in consumer protection policies; 16. stresses, moreover, the need to support policies aimed at bridging the digital divide in terms of equipment, territorial coverage and the requisite skills; The green transition 17.
points out that sustainable consumption is essential for achieving the objectives of the Green Deal;
18. stresses that EU consumers play an essential role in the green transition and therefore they need to be informed and empowered so that they can make informed choices based on comparable, transparent and clear information in accordance with the European Commission’s environmental footprint methodology, including information on the durability, reparability and social and environmental footprints of products; this information needs to be based on solid data and consumer research.
In the process of information spreading the involvement of local and regional authorities is recommended; 19. highlights the importance of enabling consumers to make a choice based on the durability of products, while incentivising producers to make their products last longer, and stresses the need for European legislation that penalises planned obsolescence and rewards longevity in industrial and technological production; 20. points out that the transition to a green economy can only succeed if demand for sustainable products and services is not confined to specific groups of consumers and stresses here that access to sustainable products and services for all consumers, whatever their financial situation, must be ensured in order to attain the goals; 21. recommends developing a holistic approach to consumer information by developing labels if possible, taking into account aspects relating to durability, health, respect for the environment, the origin of the product with particular focus on its origin in the EU or in a third-country and fair trade; also stresses the value of increasingly integrating social and environmental aspects into public procurement through a series of measures, including the definition of minimum environmental criteria in sectoral legislation, as provided for in the new Circular Economy Action Plan; 22.
thinks it important for product standards to take into account durability and circularity issues and emphasises in this regard that the EU institutions responsible for standardisation have a key role to play in this area, in particular by developing standards that define what a ‘green’ or ‘sustainable’ product is; 23.
stresses the need to improve and ensure interoperability between devices;
24. recommends both considering the appropriateness of extending the legal guarantee period for consumer goods and better informing consumers about the expected lifespan of products; 25. recommends assessing whether it would be worth implementing a scheme requiring prior authorisation for green claims and ecolabels based on the scheme used for healthcare;