Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2008-06-17-Speech-2-281"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.20080617.38.2-281"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:spokenAs | |
| lpv:translated text |
"Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, I think that the Morgan report and my report on a European Charter on the Rights of Energy Consumers must be considered together. Today the structural unbundling of the energy sector is more necessary than ever, but it cannot be an end in itself. The question is and remains: is it to the consumer’s benefit? That is not self-evident. In this connection, I note that in my country, Belgium, consumers’ energy bills will be on average EUR 300 higher in 2008 than in 2007. I realise that rising oil prices are largely responsible – but certainly not entirely.
Commissioner Kuneva’s figures reveal, for example, that 20-32% of Britons who have switched provider since the opening of the market are now worse off than before. This is why it is essential that consumers know their rights with regard to the energy sector. This is absolutely not the case at present. There is a real lack of comprehensible information on these rights, hence the need for a strong, clear, comprehensible document enumerating existing rights: a charter.
Mrs Morgan has already talked about what this must contain. I should like to add a couple more elements. Consumers must be able to switch provider: of course. Free of charge and within one month: certainly. This means that they must be able to compare offers, however, and that is why it is important that contracts and invoices be standardised. To be able to make a comparison, consumers need to have an overview of their current energy consumption and to be informed of such consumption at least four times a year. Mrs Morgan also talked about this – and I support these ideas, which are also contained in my report – the ‘smart meter’, and the addressing of energy poverty and the National Energy Action Plans that must be drawn up to this end, are a substantial step in the right direction.
As regards the social tariffs, I should like to say to Mr Vidal-Quadras that, in our view, application of these must be possible, must be an effective instrument, for the Member States. That is the only thing we would say with regard to social tariffs, Mr Vidal-Quadras. Thus, it does not strike me as impossible to support that.
In addition, it would seem important to have physical points of contact where information can be obtained. After all, the digital divide remains incredibly real today.
I should like to conclude with what may well be the most important point. In our view, if consumers wish to be aware of their rights and thus well informed, they need to be sent a copy of a charter enumerating their existing rights clearly and comprehensibly when concluding contracts. This is what our group is calling for, no more and no less: that existing rights be compiled and that consumers be provided with these in the form of a readable document. Therefore, I cannot understand the position of the Commission, Commissioner Piebalgs, or of the other groups. A few months ago, the Commission announced a charter; now, a few months on, all we have ended up with is a simple, informative checklist. It strikes us as necessary to go further. For this reason, I would appeal to the other groups to support the amendment tabled by the Socialist Group in the European Parliament. We are not reinventing the wheel; we are merely asking that consumers be informed of their existing rights by means of a copy sent to them when they conclude a contract. If the most serious problem today – as noted by the European Commission – is clear information, or rather a lack of it, I believe that our proposal offers a solution."@en1
|
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples