1. What have consumers gained because of EU
EESC – Group III
Wien October 2018
Evangelia Kekeleki

2. Main facts
85% of legislation in “Brussels”
Internal Market enhances consumers’ choice
The Euro facilitates transactions
40 years of consumers’ protection
The Precautionary Principle

3. 4 key-objectives
Safety
Choice
Protection – Enforcement
Update
2 recent objectives:
Sustainability
Environmental protection

4. Only products that are safe can be placed on the EU market
Safety
Only products that are safe can be placed on the EU market
Horizontal legislation
Sectoral legislation
CE mark – RAPEX – RASFF – Food Safety – Additives – Chemicals – Claims – Product Liability – Medicines – CO2 – Energy efficiency etc.

5. Consumers should be able to choose the right for them product
Choice
Consumers should be able to choose the right for them product
Fair competition
Information
Multiple choices
Labeling (food, electrical equipment, cloths etc) – information (contracts) – Selling prices – Geoblocking – Universal Services etc.

6. Protection of Rights and Financial Interests (1)
Consumers should be fairly treated
Legislative measures
Enforcement

7. Protection of Rights and Financial Interests (2)
Legislative measures Commercial Practices – Withdrawal – Guarantees – Compensation – ADR-ODR – Injunctions – Passengers rights – Holidays – Financial Products – Roaming – Portability – Digital Rights etc.

8. Protection of Rights and Financial Interests (3)
Enforcement Market Supervisory Bodies – Independent Authorities – Penalties – ECC – Consumer Protection Cooperation etc.

9. Update of Consumer’ Rights
Markets change
Existing rules to be adapted
New rules must fill the gaps
Old rules must be deleted

10. Is Everything Perfect for consumers?
Yes, we have made great progress
BUT
No, we are still far from being very well protected

11. Problems
Enforcement
Market supervision
Energy poverty
Over-indebtness
Discriminations and risk of exclusion
Personal data
Digitalization
Breach of consumers’ rights
Precautionary principle
Minimum VS maximum harmonization
Quarantees
Non performing loans

12. OR Future European dream and values?
Euroscepticism, populism, EU death?
Consumers can give the answer!

13. Let us, consumers, support EU’s existence and fight for a better EU!

14. Thank you