On Tuesday 16 March, the EU Consumer Protection Ministers agreed on policy guidelines to implement the EU’s New Consumer Agenda 2021-2025 (see EUROPE 12663/21).
There was a consensus to make the consumer an actor in the post-Covid-19 green and digital transition, to ensure the protection of consumer rights in a digital environment, to protect vulnerable consumers from over-indebtedness and to deepen national consumer protection strategies with all stakeholders.
The Portuguese Minister for the Economy and Digital Transition, Pedro Siza Vieira, said he was pleased with the outcome of the video conference he chaired. The conference took into account suggestions from the ‘Consumer Summit’, which, on 15 March, brought together 600 stakeholders - policy makers, NGOs, industry from the 27 Member States - at the initiative of the Commission and the Portuguese Presidency of the EU Council, to discuss consumer rights.
Ministers discussed ways to enhance international cooperation on consumer protection, to ensure alignment between consumer interests and the answers of economic operators and how to make sure that choices of consumers are informed and empowered so as to advance the digital transition and the climate transition.
“The goal of the Portuguese Presidency is precisely to empower consumers and have more informed decisions by these fundamental stakeholders”, recalled Mr Siza Vieira.
Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders welcomed the opportunity to “hear how the ministers plan to implement the Agenda”.
Among the twelve actions recommended by the participants of the Consumer Summit, he cited EU legislation on the responsibility of digital platforms and common standards for sustainable products throughout their life cycle.
Work has started at the Commission on revising the General Product Safety Directive, which dates back to a time when consumers hardly ever bought online, he said.
Protecting vulnerable consumers, fighting ‘greenwashing’ on products and promoting consumer education are among the Commission’s other priorities.
Didier Reynders said he was confident that progress would be made by March 2022, when the next ‘Consumer Summit’ will take stock of the progress made.
He confirmed that in June a proposal for a revision of the Consumer Credit Directive would be presented and that several proposals would be made to make circular products the norm in the Internal Market.
On Wednesday 17 March, the Commissioner will participate in a hearing on consumer protection and the digitalisation of retail financial services (Consumer Credit Directive and Distance Marketing of Consumer Financial Services Directive) during the Covid-19 pandemic, organised by the European Parliament’s Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)