Brussels, 22/05/2012 (Agence Europe) - The European Parliament is calling for a genuine European strategy to systematically and comprehensively strengthen the rights of vulnerable consumers. This is aimed at improving current EU legislation, which until now has tackled this problem of consumer vulnerability on a case by case basis and from the point of view of influences inappropriately exercised on consumers and subsequently, exclusively, from a perspective of consumers' economic interests (Directive 2005/29 on unfair trade practices). By formulating this requirement on Tuesday 22 May in Strasbourg in a resolution adopted by a large majority, the plenary session followed the line of its rapporteur Maria Irigoyen Pérez (S&D, Spain). MEPs want to tackle the protection of vulnerable consumers in the broadest sense (whether the vulnerability is linked to a handicap, a sectoral problem, a temporary situation or the relationship between citizen and his/her environment) and as an essential priority in the Consumers Programme 2014-2020. This would be done through strengthening legislative powers and promoting a sectoral approach because the variety of different forms of vulnerability makes the adoption of a single uniform instrument impossible.
The Parliament calls on the European Commission and the EU27 to permanently scrutinise social situations and behaviour that can lead to the vulnerability of certain groups or people, for example, by analysing consumers' complaints. The Parliament also urges them to combat vulnerability through specific measures which, if needs be, will protect all consumers, whatever their ability and at whatever stage of their life it may be.
The resolution especially emphasises the necessity of strengthening consumer awareness of product safety, particularly targeting children and pregnant women. It calls on the Commission to provide a detailed impact analysis of misleading and aggressive advertising tactics, especially those practised on children and adolescents. It is also calls on the Commission and member states to strengthen consumer confidence in cross-border e-commerce, which is still hampered by many obstacles, and to ensure that vulnerable consumers have effective access to being able to settle litigation out of court. The EU member states are requested to invest more in consumer information and awareness raising campaigns, given that the vulnerability of many consumers results from their lack of clarity and insufficient understanding of the information they receive regarding the choices offered them, as well as their poor knowledge regarding complaints and compensation schemes available to them. The results of a Eurobarometer study on this, published in April 2011, are very telling (see EUROPE 10356). (AN/transl.fl)