Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2003-03-13-Speech-4-021"
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"en.20030313.1.4-021"2
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"Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen. Consumers, it has just been said, are one of the reasons for the existence of the European Union. Better and cheaper products and more choice are the mainsprings of the internal market. Consumers have not been given full recognition for this before now. Some consumer rights stop at national borders. So I also warmly applaud a general initiative and framework directive for consumer policy. I also support and compliment the rapporteurs Whitehead, Patrie and Thyssen.
There are four points I would like to emphasise. First, it is about fair trading practices, a high basic standard that must apply throughout Europe, and in bringing this about European rules must not be allowed to detract from national achievements. Information about rights and supplementary codes of conduct is needed.
Point two, the right to information. Information about products and production methods is crucial. Of course, not every consumer will walk into the manufacturer’s premises to ask about production methods. Research shows that only 10% of consumers are interested, but that 10% set the trend, certainly when they are supported by strong consumer organisations. This 10% have ensured, for instance, that more attention is paid to animal welfare in the agricultural sector and to working conditions in the textiles sector, and this 10% will also contribute to pushing globalisation in an acceptable direction.
Point three, give consumers a voice, support consumer organisations, especially in applicant countries, and search for new ways to make consumers less anonymous. Experiment with public forums too where consumers can contribute ideas about the development of new production techniques and production methods.
My final point concerns political responsibility. A strong consumer policy must, of course, contribute to the development of a situation in which consumers are the touchstone for European policy, from chemicals to e-commerce.
A great deal is done in the name of the consumer in Europe. Liberalisation of public services is supposed to offer consumers cheaper and better services. Splendid of course, but what has it achieved? Throughout Europe passengers are complaining about the deteriorating quality of public transport. Prices on the telephone market have become obscure and confused and few consumers in the end are queuing up to choose between electricity suppliers. What exactly has ten years of the internal market delivered for the consumer? Or take the euro, another example. The euro was supposed to make everything cheaper. Meanwhile we know that the euro has caused significant price increases. Of course, things can go against us. Every consumer understands that. But if liberalisation, the euro and the internal market do not have the desired effect, what can consumers turn to then? Can consumers turn to European politics, their national governments, business and industry? Or nowhere in fact?
Consumers must have rights, but they must also be able to get political redress. In short, we must stop making vague promises about and to consumers. Objectives for consumers must be concrete and clear and it must be clear who bears the political responsibility. Thank you very much."@en1
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