36 Amendments of Marion WALSMANN related to 2021/0171(COD)
Amendment 124 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 15
Recital 15
(15) A number of Member States have applied Directive 2008/48/EC to areas not covered by its scope to enhance the level of consumer protection. In fact, several of the credit agreements not falling within the scope of that Directive can be detrimental for consumers, including short-term high cost loans whose amount is typically lower than the minimum threshold of EUR 200 set out in Directive 2008/48/EC. In this context, and with the aim to ensure a high level of consumer protection and to facilitate the cross-border consumer credit market, the scope of this Directive should cover some agreements that were excluded from the scope of Directive 2008/48/EC, such as consumer credit agreements below the amount of EUR 200. Likewise, other potentially detrimental products, because of the high costs they entail or high fees in case of missed payments, should be covered by this Directive, to ensure increased transparency and better consumer protection, resulting in higher consumer confidence. To this extent, leasing agreements, credit agreements in the form of an overdraft facility and where the credit has to be repaid within one month, and credit agreements where the credit is granted free of interest and without any other charges, including Buy Now Pay Later schemes, i.e. new digital financial tools that let consumers make purchases and pay them off over time, andwhere an obligation to purchase the object of the agreement is laid down either by the agreement itself or by any separate agreement, credit agreements in the form of an overdraft facility or overrunning and where the credit has to be repaid within one month but also credit agreements under the terms of which the credit has to be repaid within three months and only insignificant charges are payable should not be excluded from the scope of application of this Directive. Moreover, all credit agreement up until EUR 100 000 should be included in the scope of application of this Directive. The upper threshold of credit agreements under this Directive should be increased to take into account indexation to adjust for the effects of inflation since 2008 and in coming years.
Amendment 133 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 26
Recital 26
(26) Consumers who are legally resident in the Union should not be discriminated against on ground of their nationality or place of residence, or on any ground as referred to in Article 21 of the Charter when requesting, concluding or holding a credit agreement or an agreement for the provision of crowdfunding credit services within the Union. However, nothing in this Directive should be construed to oblige a creditor, credit intermediary or provider of crowdfunding credit services to provide services in Member States in which they do not conduct the business.
Amendment 135 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 26 a (new)
Recital 26 a (new)
(26 a) As there are limited financial products available on the market that encourage digital and green transition, this Directive should create an incentive to develop and offer such financial products on the market.
Amendment 148 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 30
Recital 30
(30) In order to be able to make their decisions in full knowledge of the facts, consumers should receive adequate information, for careful consideration at their own leisure and convenience, at least one daywithin a reasonable time prior to the conclusion of the credit agreement or of the agreement for the provision of crowdfunding credit services, including information on the conditions and cost of the credit and on their obligations, as well as adequate explanations thereof. These rules should be without prejudice to Council Directive 93/13/EEC29 . _________________ 29 Council Directive 93/13/EEC of 5 April 1993 on unfair terms in consumer contracts (OJ L 95, 21.4.1993, p. 29).
Amendment 156 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 31
Recital 31
(31) Pre-contractual information should be provided through the Standard European Consumer Credit Information form. To help consumers understand and compare offers, a Standard European Consumer Credit Overview form summarising the key element of the creditrelevant information should be provided in addition toat the beginning of the Standard European Consumer Credit Information form, through which consumers should see all essential information at a glance, even on the screen of a mobile telephone. ISuch information should be separated from the rest of pre-contractual information provided on the same form. Furthermore, all information should be clear, clearly legible and adapted to the technical constraints of certain media such as mobile telephone screens. It should be displayed in an adequate and suitable way on the different channels, to ensure that every consumer can access information on an equal basis and in line with Directive (EU) 2019/882 of the European Parliament and of the Council30 . _________________ 30 Directive (EU) 2019/882 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 April 2019 on the accessibility requirements for products and services (OJ L 151, 7.6.2019, p. 70).
Amendment 171 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 45
Recital 45
(45) Member States should take appropriate measures to promote responsible practices during all phases of the credit relationship, taking into account the specific features of their credit market. Those measures mayshould include, for instance, the provision of information to, and the education of, consumers, including warnings about the risks attaching to default on payment and to over- indebtedness. In the expanding credit market, in particular, it is important that creditors should not engage in irresponsible lending or give out credit without prior assessment of creditworthiness. Member States should carry out the necessary supervision to avoid such behaviour of creditors and should determine the necessary means to sanction such behaviour. Without prejudice to the provisions on credit risk of Directive 2013/36/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council32 , creditors or providers of crowdfunding credit services should bear the responsibility of checking individually the creditworthiness of the consumer. To that end, creditors or providers of crowdfunding credit services should be allowed to use information provided by the consumer not only during the preparation of the credit agreement or of the agreement for the provision of crowdfunding credit services in question, but also during a long standing commercial relationship. Consumers should also act with prudence and respect their contractual obligations. _________________ 32 Directive 2013/36/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 June 2013 on access to the activity of credit institutions and the prudential supervision of credit institutions and investment firms, amending Directive 2002/87/EC and repealing Directives 2006/48/EC and 2006/49/EC (OJ L 176, 27.6.2013, p. 338).
Amendment 183 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 47 a (new)
Recital 47 a (new)
(47 a) Taking into account the principle of proportionality, this Directive should lay down special rules for assessing the creditworthiness of consumers for ‘small value credit’ as defined in the definition norms. In this regard, data other than those specified in the Directive should not be consulted when assessing creditworthiness.
Amendment 184 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 47 b (new)
Recital 47 b (new)
(47 b) As a result of their illness, cancer survivors often suffer from obstacles to their access to financial services, such as credits, owing to the frequent obligation to disclose full medical history when applying to them. This financial discrimination worsens the socioeconomic burden placed on cancer survivors and hampers their reintegration into society. Therefore, this Directive should recognise fully the right for cancer survivors not to inform the creditor or the provider of crowdfunding credit services of their past diagnosis and treatment (The Right to Be Forgotten).
Amendment 200 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 56
Recital 56
(56) Consumers should have a right of withdrawal without penalty and with no obligation to provide justification. However, the right of withdrawal should not be used in bad faith that is why this Directive also sets an objective deadline for exercising the right of withdrawal.
Amendment 221 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 78
Recital 78
(78) Consumers should have access to adequate, promptly and effective alternative dispute resolution procedures for the settlement of disputes arising out of rights and obligations established under this Directive, using existing entities where appropriate. Such access is already ensured by Directive 2013/11/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council35 in so far as relevant contractual disputes are concerned. However, consumers should also have access to alternative dispute resolution procedures in the event of pre- contractual disputes concerning rights and obligations established by this Directive, for example, in relation to pre-contractual information requirements, advisory services and creditworthiness assessment and also in relation to the information given by credit intermediaries which are remunerated by creditors and therefore have no direct contractual relationship with consumers. Such alternative dispute resolution procedures and the entities offering them should comply with the quality requirements established by Directive 2013/11/EU. _________________ 35 Directive 2013/11/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 May 2013 on alternative dispute resolution for consumer disputes and amending Regulation (EC) No 2006/2004 and Directive 2009/22/EC (OJ L 165, 18.6.2013, p. 63).
Amendment 228 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 86 a (new)
Recital 86 a (new)
(86 a) When transposing the Directive, Member States should ensure that the cost of implementing this Directive is neither borne by consumers nor passed on to them.
Amendment 229 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 86 b (new)
Recital 86 b (new)
(86 b) Due to the ubiquitous trend of digitalisation and the emergence of new service providers in the consumer credit market, the European Commission should actively monitor the situation on the market and propose review of the Directive if new forms of actors appear whose business is not currently covered by this Directive.
Amendment 243 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – paragraph 2 – point f b (new)
Article 2 – paragraph 2 – point f b (new)
(f b) leasing agreements where an obligation to purchase the object of the agreement is not laid down either by the agreement itself or by any separate agreement;
Amendment 244 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – paragraph 2 – point g
Article 2 – paragraph 2 – point g
(g) credit agreements which relate to the deferred payment, free of interests and without any other charges, of an existing debt;
Amendment 291 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point 13
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point 13
(13) ‘pre-contractual information’ means the information that the consumer needs to be able to compare different credit offers, understand them and take an informed decision on whether to conclude the credit agreement or the agreement for the provision of crowdfunding credit services;
Amendment 309 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 5 – paragraph 1
Article 5 – paragraph 1
Member States shall require that, when information is provided to consumers in accordance with this Directive, such information is provided timely and without charge to the consumer.
Amendment 314 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 6 – paragraph 1 a (new)
Article 6 – paragraph 1 a (new)
Refusal to provide services in a Member State where the creditor or, where applicable, credit intermediaries or providers of crowdfunding credit services do not conduct business shall not be considered discrimination.
Amendment 344 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 8 – paragraph 3 c (new)
Article 8 – paragraph 3 c (new)
3 c. In any case, Member States shall prohibit advertisements based on personalized data for consumer credit products which incites over-indebted consumers to seek credit.
Amendment 399 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 10 – paragraph 3 – point n
Article 10 – paragraph 3 – point n
(n) a warning regarding the consequences of missing or late paymentslegal and financial consequences that non- compliance with specific contractual obligations may lead to;
Amendment 432 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 10 – paragraph 4 – point f
Article 10 – paragraph 4 – point f
(f) a warning regarding the consequences of missing or late payments including costs in the case of late payments;
Amendment 435 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 10 – paragraph 4 – point f a (new)
Article 10 – paragraph 4 – point f a (new)
(f a) information about early repayment in accordance to Article 29;
Amendment 437 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 10 – paragraph 4 – point f b (new)
Article 10 – paragraph 4 – point f b (new)
(f b) the existence of a right of withdrawal.
Amendment 496 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 12 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1 (new)
Article 12 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1 (new)
Creditors and, where applicable, credit intermediaries and providers of crowdfunding credit services are required to provide, free of charge, adequate explanations before conclusion of contract with consumer.
Amendment 503 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 13 – paragraph 1
Article 13 – paragraph 1
Member States shall require that creditors, credit intermediaries and providers of crowdfunding credit services inform consumers in clear and unambiguous manner when they are presented with a personalised offer that is based on profiling or other types of automated processing of personal data.
Amendment 522 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 15 – paragraph 2
Article 15 – paragraph 2
2. The agreement of the consumer to the purchase of ancillary services presented through boxes shall be given by aunambiguous and clear affirmative act establishing a freely given, specific, informed and unambiguous indication of his or her approval to the content and substance associated to the boxes.
Amendment 523 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 15 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 (new)
Article 15 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1 (new)
Silence or inactivity in no case imply consent to constitute agreement within meaning of this Article.
Amendment 546 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 17 – paragraph 1 a (new)
Article 17 – paragraph 1 a (new)
In particular, Member States shall prohibit the introduction of a new overdraft facility or overrunning agreement or the raising of the limit of an existing overdraft facility or overrunning agreement, without the consumer’s prior request or explicit agreement.
Amendment 554 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 18 – paragraph 1
Article 18 – paragraph 1
1. Member States shall require that, before concluding a credit agreement, or an agreement for the provision of crowdfunding credit services, the creditor or, where applicable, the provider of crowdfunding credit services makes a thoroughcomprehensive assessment of the consumer’s creditworthiness. That assessment shall be done in the interest of the consumer, to prevent irresponsible lending practices and over-indebtedness, and shall take appropriate account of factors relevant to verifying the prospect of the consumer to meet his or her obligations under the credit agreement or the agreement for the provision of crowdfunding credit services.
Amendment 571 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 18 – paragraph 2 a (new)
Article 18 – paragraph 2 a (new)
2 a. Personal data revealing racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, or trade union membership, and the processing of genetic data, biometric data for the purpose of uniquely identifying a natural person, data concerning health or data concerning a natural person's sex life or sexual orientation and data collected from social networks shall not be processed or used to perform creditworthiness assessments.
Amendment 575 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 18 – paragraph 2 b (new)
Article 18 – paragraph 2 b (new)
2 b. Member States shall ensure that the implementation of this Directive guarantees the ‘Right to Be Forgotten’.
Amendment 599 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 18 – paragraph 5
Article 18 – paragraph 5
5. Member States shall ensure that where a creditor or a provider of crowdfunding credit services concludes a credit agreement or an agreement for the provision of crowdfunding credit services with a consumer, the creditor or provider of crowdfunding credit services shall not subsequently cancel or alter the credit agreement or the agreement for the provision of crowdfunding credit services to the detriment of the consumer on the grounds that the assessment of creditworthiness was incorrectly conducted. This paragraph shall not apply where it is demonstrated that the consumer has not acted in good faith and especially if the consumer knowingly withheld or falsified the information provided to the creditor or the provider of crowdfunding credit services referred to in paragraph 2.
Amendment 616 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 18 – paragraph 6 – point c
Article 18 – paragraph 6 – point c
(c) express his or her point of view and contest the assessment of the creditworthiness and the decisionrequest a review and new decision on the granting of the credit by the creditor or the provider of crowdfunding credit services.
Amendment 639 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 19 – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 1 (new)
Article 19 – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 1 (new)
Member States shall ensure that consumers are notified within thirty days of the registration of any negative credit data in a database, informing them of the possibility of exercising their right of access, rectification, erasure and opposition, in line with Regulation (EU) n°2016/679 (GDPR).
Amendment 655 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 23 – paragraph 2 – point c
Article 23 – paragraph 2 – point c
(c) the new reference rate is made publicly available in a timely manner and by appropriate means;
Amendment 680 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 26 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2 a (new)
Article 26 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2 a (new)
The right of withdrawal referred to in the first subparagraph shall in any event lapse two years and 14 calendar days after the conclusion of the credit agreement or the agreement for the provision of crowdfunding credit services. Within this period, the right of withdrawal shall also lapse, when the contract has been fully completed by both parties. That right of withdrawal shall not lapse if the consumer has not been informed about his right of withdrawal at all.
Amendment 694 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 29 – paragraph 2 a (new)
Article 29 – paragraph 2 a (new)
2 a. The calculation of the compensation due to the creditor shall be transparent and comprehensible to consumers already at the pre-contractual stage and in any case during the performance of the credit agreement