Brussels, 01/04/2014 (Agence Europe) - Completion of the digital single market could benefit EU consumers by €400 a year on average, or some €200 billion Europe-wide. However, this is not for the near future, thus providing sufficient reason for the European Commission to choose “EU consumers in the digital age” to be the theme of the European consumer summit 2014 (Brussels, 1-2 April), which will focus on how to ensure that consumers reap the full benefits of this market, the potential of which has so far gone unexploited.
“Consumers have a lot to gain from the digital economy: better deals to be found, more content to access and cheaper ways to communicate. At present only 50% of consumers in the EU shop online”, points out Consumer Policy Commissioner Neven Mimica. “We need to get every European consumer digital”, argued Commission Vice President Neelie Kroes, responsible for the Digital Agenda. She wants “a true single market for telecoms” to transform the vision of a connected, competitive Europe into reality.
Some 400 participants representing the European Parliament, the Commission, national governments, consumer and business associations, enforcement and regulatory authorities, the European Consumer Centres and European Data Protection Supervisor Peter Hustinx have been invited by the commissioner to consider the following issues: - how best consumers can benefit and contribute to the digital economy; - how effective protection of online consumers' rights can be assured; - the skills needed by consumers, including the most vulnerable, to be able to find their way through today's so complex digital landscape; - how to promote a more consumer-oriented digital environment in which these same consumers can have confidence. (AN)