Activities of Stanislav POLČÁK related to 2022/0092(COD)
Plenary speeches (1)
Empowering consumers for the green transition (debate)
Amendments (27)
Amendment 32 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 1
Recital 1
(1) Whereas: In order to tackle unfair commercial practices which prevent and impede consumers from making sustainable consumption choices, such as practices associated with the early obsolescence of goods, misleading environmental claims (“greenwashing”), non-transparent and non-credible sustainability labels or sustainability information tools, specific rules should be introduced in Union consumer law. This would enable national competent bodies to address those practices effectively. By ensuring that environmental claims are fairtruthful, consumers will be able to choose products that are genuinely better for the environment than competing products. This will encourage competition towards more environmentally sustainable products, thus reducing negative impact on the environment.
Amendment 40 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 4
Recital 4
(4) Environmental claims, in particular climate-related claims, increasingly relate to future performance in the form of a transition to carbon or climate neutrality, or a similar objective, by a certain date. Through such claims, traders create the impression that consumers contribute to a low-carbon economy by purchasing their products. To ensure the fairtruthfulness and credibility of such claims, Article 6(2) of Directive 2005/29/EC should be amended to prohibit such claims, following a case- by-case assessment, when they are not supported by clear, objective, sufficiently specific and verifiable commitments and targets given by the trader. Such claims should also be supported by an independent monitoring system to monitor the progress of the trader with regard to the level of fulfilment of the commitments and targets.
Amendment 43 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 5
Recital 5
(5) Another potentially misleading commercial practice which should be added to the specific practices targeted by Article 6(2) of Directive 2005/29/EC is advertising benefits for consumers that are actually a common practice in the relevant market. For example, if the absence of a chemical substance is a common practice in a specific product market, its promotion as a distinctive feature of the product could constitute an unfair commercial practice. It is therefore in essence advertising the uniqueness of something that is, in fact, common practice.
Amendment 50 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 8
Recital 8
(8) In cases where the displaying of a sustainability label involves a commercial communication that suggests or creates the impressiontates or suggests that a product has a positive, minor or no impact on the environment, or is less damaging to the environment than competing products, that sustainability label also should be considered as constituting an environmental claim.
Amendment 62 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 13
Recital 13
(13) Presenting requirements imposed by law on all products within the relevant product category on the Union market, including imported products, as a distinctive feature of the trader’s offer, should also be prohibited in all circumstances and added to the list in Annex I to Directive 2005/29/EC. This prohibition could apply, for example, when a trader is advertising that a given product does not include a specific chemical substance while that substance is already forbidden by law for all products within that product category in the Union, and this prohibition is sufficiently well known to the general public. Conversely, the prohibition should not cover commercial practices promoting traders’ or products’ compliance with legal requirements that only apply to some products but not to other competing products of the same category on the Union market, such as products of non-EU origin.
Amendment 66 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 14
Recital 14
(14) In order to improve the welfare of consumers and contribute to the achievement of the European Green Deal’s objectives, the amendments to Annex I to Directive 2005/29/EC should also address several practices associated with early obsolescence, including planned obsolescence practices, understood as a commercial policy involving deliberately planning or designing a product with a limited useful life so that it prematurely becomes obsolete or non-functional after a certain period of time. Purchasing products that are expected to last longer than they actually do causes consumer detriment. Furthermore, early obsolescence practices have an overall negative impact on the environment in the form of increased material waste. Therefore, addressing those practices are also likely to reduce the amount of waste, contributing to a more sustainable consumption.
Amendment 75 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 20
Recital 20
(20) Another practice associated with early obsolescence which should be prohibited and added to the list in Annex I to Directive 2005/29/EC is inducing the consumer into replacing the consumables of a product earlier than would otherwise be necessary for technical reasons. Such practices mislead the consumer into believing that the goods will no longer function unless their consumables are replaced, thus leading them to purchase more consumables than necessary. For example, the practice of urging the consumer, via the settings of the printer, to replace the printer ink cartridges before they are actually empty in order to stimulate the purchase of additional ink cartridges would be prohibited. This prohibition must be consistently distinguished from the situation in which the consumer is merely warned that the cartridges will soon be empty, more generally, that the material necessary for the functioning of the goods will be completely consumed.
Amendment 84 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 23
Recital 23
(23) A good indicator of a good’s durability is the producer’s commercial guarantee of durability within the meaning of Article 17 of Directive (EU) 2019/771. Therefore, Directive 2011/83/EU should be amended to specifically require traders selling goods to inform consumers about the existence of the producer’s commercial guarantee of durability for all types of goods, where the producer makes this information available. In view of the established minimum duration of two years of the seller’s liability for lack of conformity in accordance with Directive (EU) 2019/771 and the fact that many product failures occur after two years, the trader’s obligation to inform consumers about the existence and duration of the producer’s commercial guarantee of durability should apply to guarantees that are of more than two years.
Amendment 89 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 24
Recital 24
(24) The problem of limited durability contrary to consumer expectations is most relevant for energy-using goods, which are goods that function from an external energy source. Consumers are also most interested in receiving information about the expected durability of this category of goods. For these reasons, conly forsumers of this category of goods, consumers should be should be explicitly made aware that the information about the existence of a producer’s commercial guarantee of durability of more than two years has not been provided by the producer.
Amendment 92 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 25
Recital 25
(25) Goods containing energy-using components, where those components are mere accessories and do not contribute to the main function of those goods, such as decorative lighting for clothing or footwear or electric light for a bicycle, should not be classified as energy-using goods.Does not affect English version.)
Amendment 96 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 26
Recital 26
Amendment 103 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 29
Recital 29
(29) To promote competition between producers as regards the durability of goods with digital elements the traders selling those goods should inform consumers about the minimum period of time during which the producer commits to provide software updates for such goods. However, to avoid overloading consumers with information, such information should only be provided when this period is longer than the period of the producer’s commercial guarantee of durability, as that guarantee entails the provision of updates, including security updates, that are necessary to maintain the required functions and performance of goods with digital elements. Furthermore, information about the producer’s commitment to provide software updates is relevant only where the sales contract regarding goods with digital elements provides for a single act of supply of the digital content or digital service in respect of which Article 7(3), point (a), of Directive (EU) 2019/771 applies. In contrast, there should be no new obligation to provide that information where the sales contract provides for a continuous supply of the digital content or digital service over a period of time, since for those contracts Article 7(3), point (b), of Directive (EU) 2019/771 specifies, by reference to Article 10 (2) or (5), the period of time during which the seller is to ensure that the consumer is informed of and supplied with updates.Does not affect English version.)
Amendment 122 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 1
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 1
Directive 2005/29/EC
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point o
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point o
(o) ‘environmental claim’ means any message or representation, which is not mandatory under Union law or national law, including text, pictorial, graphic or symbolic representation, in any form, including labels, brand names, company names or product names, in the context of a commercial communication, which states or indicates that a product or trader has a positive, minor or no impact on the environment or is less damaging to the environment than other products or traders, respectively, or has improved their impact over time;
Amendment 135 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 1
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 1
Directive 2005/29/EC
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point q
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point q
(q) ‘generic environmental claim’ means any explicit environmental claim, not contained in a sustainability label, where the specification of the claim is not provided in clear and prominent terms on the same medium;Does not affect English version.)
Amendment 140 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 1
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 1
Directive 2005/29/EC
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point r
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point r
(r) ‘sustainability label’ means any voluntary trust mark, quality mark or equivalent, either public or private, that aims to set apart and promDoes note a product, a process or a business with reference to its environmental or social aspects or both. This does not cover any mandatory label required in accordance with Union or national law;ffect English version.)
Amendment 156 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 1
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 1
Directive 2005/29/EC
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point u
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point u
(u) ‘recognised excellent environmental performance’ means environmental performance compliant with Regulation (EC) 66/2010 of the European Parliament and of the Council*, with national or regional EN ISO 14024 type I ecolabelling schemes officially recognised in accordance with Article 11 of Regulation (EC) 66/2010, or top environmental performance in accordance with other applicable Union law; __________ * Regulation (EC) No 66/2010 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 November 2009 on the EU Ecolabel (OJ L 27, 30.1.2010, p. 1).Does not affect English version.)
Amendment 183 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2 – point b
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2 – point b
Directive 2005/29/EC
Article 6 – paragraph 2 – point d
Article 6 – paragraph 2 – point d
(d) ‘(d) making an environmental claim related to future environmental performance without clear, objective, sufficiently specific and verifiable commitments and targets and without an independent monitoring system;
Amendment 184 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2 – point b
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 2 – point b
Directive 2005/29/EC
Article 6 – paragraph 2 – point e
Article 6 – paragraph 2 – point e
(e) advertising benefits for consumers that areresulting from a characteristic presented as product-specific but which is considered asto be a common practice in the relevant market.
Amendment 201 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 2 – point a
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 2 – point a
Directive 2011/83/EU
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point e a
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point e a
(ea) for all goods, where the producer makes itsuch information available, information that the goods benefit from a commercial guarantee of durability and its duration in units of time, where that guarantee covers the entire good and has a duration of more than two years;
Amendment 204 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 2 – point a
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 2 – point a
Directive 2011/83/EU
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point e b
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point e b
(eb) for energy-using goods, where the producer does not make available the information referred to in point (ea), information that the producer has not provided information on the existence of a commercial guarantee of durability of more than two years. This information shall be at least as prominent as any other information about the existence and the conditions of after-sales services and commercial guarantees provided in accordance with point (e);Does not affect English version.)
Amendment 208 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 2 – point a
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 2 – point a
Directive 2011/83/EU
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point e c
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point e c
(ec) for goods with digital elements, where the producer makes such information available, the minimum period in units of time during which the producer provides software updates, unless the contract provides for a continuous supply of the digital content or digital service over a period of time. Where information about the existence of a commercial guarantee of durability is provided in accordance with point (ea), the information on the updates shall be provided ifonly in the event that those updates are supplied for a longer period than the commercial guarantee of durability;
Amendment 213 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 2 – point a
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 2 – point a
Directive 2011/83/EU
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point e d
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – point e d
(ed) for digital content and digital services, where their provider is different from the trader and makes such information available, the minimum period in units of time during which the provider provides software updates, unless the contract provides for a continuous supply of the digital content or digital service over a period of time;’Does not affect English version.)
Amendment 221 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 3 – point a
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 3 – point a
Directive 2011/83/EU
Article 6 – paragraph 1 – point m a
Article 6 – paragraph 1 – point m a
(ma) for all goods, where the producer makes itsuch information available, information that the goods benefit from a commercial guarantee of durability and its duration in units of time, where that guarantee covers the entire good and has a duration of more than two years;
Amendment 225 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 3 – point a
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 3 – point a
Directive 2011/83/EU
Article 6 – paragraph 1 – point m b
Article 6 – paragraph 1 – point m b
(mb) for energy-using goods, where the producer does not make available information referred to in point (ma), information that the producer has not provided information on the existence of a commercial guarantee of durability of more than two years. This information shall be at least as prominent as any other information about the existence and the conditions of after-sales services and commercial guarantees provided in accordance with point (m);Does not affect English version.)
Amendment 229 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 3 – point a
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 3 – point a
Directive 2011/83/EU
Article 6 – paragraph 1 – point m c
Article 6 – paragraph 1 – point m c
(mc) for goods with digital elements, where the producer makes such information available, the minimum period in units of time during which the producer provides software updates, unless the contract provides for a continuous supply of the digital content or digital service over a period of time. Where information about the existence of a commercial guarantee of durability is provided in accordance with point (ma), the information on the updates shall be provided ifonly in the event that those updates are supplied for a longer period than the commercial guarantee of durability;
Amendment 233 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 3 – point a
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 3 – point a
Directive 2011/83/EU
Article 6 – paragraph 1 – point m d
Article 6 – paragraph 1 – point m d
(md) for digital content and digital services, where their provider is different from the trader and makes such information available, the minimum period in units of time during which the provider provides software updates, unless the contract provides for a continuous supply of the digital content or digital service over a period of time;’Does not affect English version.)
Amendment 243 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 3 – paragraph 1
Article 3 – paragraph 1
By [5 years from adoption], the Commission shall submit a report on the application of this Directive and on the level of progress achieved to the European Parliament and to the Council.