Brussels, 29/05/2012 (Agence Europe) - If we are to go by the results of the “Consumer Scoreboard”, published by the European Commission on Tuesday 29 May, consumer conditions improved in the EU last year for the second year running. However, the retail trade - and e-commerce in particular - is still far from being an integrated consumer market. This shortcoming, which still prevents consumers from gaining full concrete advantage of the theoretical possibilities provided by the internal market for goods and services, is not the only failing to be noted. The 7th edition of the Scoreboard - a market oversight instrument published twice a year - also notes the worrying lack of awareness that consumers have of their rights, and the worrying persistence of unfair trading practice in the EU seven years after adoption of the directive aimed at eradicating such practice (Directive 2005/29/EC on unfair trading practice of companies towards internal market consumers).
“I call on national policy makers and stakeholders to use today's Scoreboard results to build a quality environment for consumers. Only consumers who are aware of their rights and know how to use them can fully exploit the potential of the single market”, said John Dalli, Consumer Protection Commissioner.
The improvements observed in consumer conditions in 2011 have been recorded on a scoreboard measuring the perceived quality of regulation protecting consumers, the effectiveness of solving disputes and handling complaints, the degree of consumer trust in authorities, retailers, advertisers and consumer organisations, as well as the degree of consumer trust in the safety of products on the market. The most favourable conditions were observed in 11 member states: Luxembourg, the UK, Denmark, Austria, Ireland, Finland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, France and Sweden (above the EU average). Product safety was the only area in which confidence fell (in 2011, 68% of consumers said they trusted product safety whereas in 2010 this figure stood at 70%)
The scoreboard shows that while e-commerce continues to grow, it remains largely domestic: in 2011, almost a third of all consumers had made a purchase in another member state (1% more than in 2010) but this figure remains low despite their worries about foreign sellers being shown to be largely unfounded. The findings suggest a key role for more effective information about existing cross-border advice, enforcement and redress mechanisms.
Consumers' understanding and knowledge about their rights guaranteed in EU legislation is rather poor. Only 12% of respondents EU-wide could answer questions about their consumer rights in relation to guarantees, cooling- off periods and what to do if they receive goods they never ordered. Many businesses were not aware of their legal obligations towards consumers. For example, only 27% of retailers knew how long consumers have to return defective products.
Given the increasing number of misleading advertisements and offers, and goods being received without having been ordered, the Commission intends to strengthen application of consumer protection legislation, particularly for the most vulnerable groups of consumers, which is one of the objectives pursued in the European Consumer Agenda for 2014-2020 that has just been presented (see EUROPE 10618) (AN/transl.fl)