Digital and Green Transition: the Ministers of the EU27 responsible for Consumer Protection endorsed the two main priorities of the ‘New Consumer Agenda’ 2021-2025 in the post-Covid-19 world, during a videoconference organised by the German Presidency of the EU Council (see EUROPE 12615/17) on Monday 7 December.
According to the German Minister of Justice and Consumer Affairs, Christine Lambrecht, speaking to the press, the discussion, held in private, was “very fruitful”, with the common goal of “maintaining a high level of consumer protection and taking action together”, combining “lessons learned from the crisis and the UN Agenda 2030 for sustainable development”.
She welcomed the “food for thought” given by former Finnish President Tarja Halonen and the founder of the Global Solutions Initiative, Dennis Snower, Professor of Macroeconomics and Sustainability at the Hertie School of Governance in Berlin.
Ms Lambrecht recalled that since the previous Consumer Agenda in 2012, “many framework conditions have changed” and that digital is now part of the lives of many consumers - a trend that the measures taken against the pandemic “have accelerated ”.
Referring to the “advantages” of digitisation, she also stressed the disadvantages, citing “false promises that may disappoint consumers or be dangerous to their health”. In this regard, she stressed the importance of collaboration with digital platforms and of fighting “hate” on social networks.
She reported that there was broad consensus on the objective of the Agenda on various points: - the fight against illegal practices; - ensuring that consumers are equally protected both online and in everyday life; - ensuring European consumers have the sustainability of products and the information they need to make informed choices. This last requirement involves the fight against “greenwashing” and the strengthening of cooperation between Member States and the EU, she stressed.
She added: “I am confident that the New Consumer Agenda will contribute to furthering the digital transition and increasing consumer confidence in the internal market by ensuring a high level of protection, suitable for current conditions”.
This discussion will contribute to the preparation of the EU Council’s conclusions under the Portuguese Presidency.
The European Commissioner for Justice, Didier Reynders, summed up the main points of the ‘New Agenda’ to the press and welcomed the “determination of the ministers to work on all the points” of this programme, which will guide European consumer policy to “improve the protection of consumers and their rights”, particularly the most vulnerable consumers.
On the subject of the green transition, he said he expected producers to make “voluntary green commitments” and [ensure] “the availability of spare parts for the benefit of consumers and the planet”. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)