Activities of Vicente Miguel GARCÉS RAMÓN related to 2012/2133(INI)
Plenary speeches (1)
A new agenda for European consumer policy (short presentation)
Reports (1)
REPORT on a new agenda for European Consumer Policy PDF (226 KB) DOC (146 KB)
Amendments (24)
Amendment 34 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas it is necessary to boost consumer confidence, their trust in the market and knowledge of their rights, with a special focus on vulnerable consumers, and the disabled in particular;
Amendment 43 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
E. whereas e-commerce is very useful for consumers with disabilities and those living in rural and remote areas; whereas measures should be adopted to prevent the digital divide and establish the information society at all levels of society;
Amendment 53 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F
Recital F
F. whereas fragmentation of the digital single market jeopardizes the rights of consumers, given the absence of common rules; whereas mostsome web sites are not suitable for cross-border shoppconsumers and consumers and a legislative initiative is required to establish a comprehensive plan for redress, including mechanisms such as Alternative Disputmechanisms already provided for, such as Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), the system of online dispute resolution (ODR) and collective redress, need to facilitate access to the right to an effective remedy as recognised in the Charter of Fundamental Rights; whereas appropriate mechanisms for bringing effective collective actions need to be Resolution (ADR), a system of online dispute resolution (ODR) and collective redrestablished, based on a European approach, and measures considered that are grounded in Europe’s legal culture and traditions, facilitating access to justice for entities qualified by law and for victims’ groups;
Amendment 58 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital G
Recital G
G. whereas consumers are dissatisfied with financial services due to the bad advice they receive and ignorance of their rights; whereas there is a need for arbiters who are independent of companies and, in the case of financial institutions, for (national / European) Central Bank inspectors that act as arbiters, and who may be challenged by consumers in the event of lack of objectivity or impartiality;
Amendment 65 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital I
Recital I
I. whereas as the internal market has to offer a range of high quality products and services at competitive prices, encouraging sustainable consumption for sustainable development, the Commission should address and study new forms of consumption, which may affect the market's operation, such as collaborative consumption;
Amendment 70 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital J
Recital J
J. whereas flexible measures need to be taken to protect consumers in the outermost regions, sparsely populated regions, and island and mountain regions, reinforcing social and territorial cohesion;
Amendment 72 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital K
Recital K
K. whereas there is a need to strengthen the role of consumer associations in all areas by adopting the necessary legal and economic measures; whereas consumer associations play an irreplaceable role in guaranteeing confidence and the development of the single European market and should, for this reason, receive the support of all official authorities to ensure they participate in services of general interest in particular;
Amendment 77 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital K a (new)
Recital K a (new)
Ka. whereas the four main objectives set out in the Commission’s Communication on a new agenda for European consumer policy are: 1) reinforcing consumer safety, 2) enhancing knowledge, 3) stepping up enforcement and securing redress and 4) aligning rights and key policies to changes in society and in the economy;
Amendment 80 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital K b (new)
Recital K b (new)
Kb. whereas the proposals to be drawn up need to be consistent with the four major objectives set;
Amendment 89 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – introductory part
Paragraph 1 – introductory part
1. Calls for consumers to be able to exercise their rights simply and effectively in basic areas relating to food, health, energy, transport, financial and digital services, pharmaceuticals and medical devices;
Amendment 91 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point 1 (new)
Paragraph 1 – point 1 (new)
(1) Welcomes the Commission communication, in particular its holistic approach and ultimate aim of boosting European consumer safety and rights, by strengthening consumer associations;
Amendment 97 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Calls for consumers to be able to benefit safely from advances in science and technology and to have access to information, impartial advice and the tools required for fair and effective redress, in particular through harmonised European regulation of collective actions as a way of accessing effective legal protection;
Amendment 106 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Points out that EU policies need to promote cooperation between consumer associations and public institutions in all fields, providing easy access to the financial resources required; notes that a register of European associations should be set up to assist the formation of European associations;, similar to that which already exists in Directive 2009/22/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 April 2009 on injunctions for the protection of consumers' interests (Codified version)1; points out that the minimum common rights of consumer organisations should first be harmonised, with particular emphasis being placed on the right to be consulted and heard through a representative; ________________________ 1 OJ L 110, 1.5.2009, p. 30/36
Amendment 117 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Stresses that educating consumers reduces their risks vis-à-vis dangerous products, speculative financial products and misleading advertising, and that such; takes the view that financial education and empowerment of consumers needs to be ongoing, from school onwards, and must involve the various stakeholders (consumer and worker representatives, etc.);
Amendment 132 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Calls on the Commission to establish updated and standard rules that facilitate product safety, establishpromoting control at source for products from third countries; hopes, at all events, that the proposal amending Directive 2001/95/EC on general product safety will guarantee a high level of safety of consumer products;
Amendment 138 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Stresses that consumer confidence is essential for both national and cross-border e-commerce; emphasises that Internet commerce needs to ensure the quality of products, avoid criminal or unfair practices and comply with the protection of personal data, guaranteeing that, where appropriate, the granting of consent is unequivocal and explicit;
Amendment 147 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Stresses that market information must be reliable, clear and comparable, and that binding commercial guarantees need to be adopted that ensure the administration of justice in cases where intermediaries become insolvent; emphasises the need to prosecute unfair commercial practices and unfair contract terms or mass market manipulation such as occurred in the Libor and/or Euribor markets; highlights the need to protect consumers ‘trapped’ by a financial product, and those with mortgages who, for reasons not attributable to the consumer, are at risk of being evicted from their homes; draws the Commission's attention to the need to harmonise the rules on excessive household debt at European level, in order to mitigate situations that may lead to social exclusion;
Amendment 158 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Paragraph 9 a (new)
9a. Points out that the social, environmental and ethical dimensions need to be incorporated, in a transparent manner, at all stages of product development and implementation, paying particular attention to protecting the privacy of people affected by the implementation of new technologies;
Amendment 164 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Highlights the need to provide better protection of the rights of vulnerable consumer groups such as children and, the elderly and people with disabilities, particularly with regard to transport; to this end, expects an improvement in protection for air passengers and hopes that the review of Regulation 261/2004 on air passenger rights will also make provision for protecting consumers against airline insolvency, as well as codifying all the case-law of the Court of Justice;
Amendment 176 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Stresses that the current financial and economic crisis is weakening the position of consumers in the markets, making them more and more vulnerable, and that increasing job insecurity, unemployment rates and the loss of purchasing power are widening inequalities within each country and between countries with negative effects on consumer profiles; emphasises the need to facilitate the right of access to a basic payment account and to ban financial products that are complex and risky for the average consumer; takes the view that, given the scant degree of implementation of the Recommendation of 18 July 2011 on access to a basic payment account, the Commission should submit a proposal for a directive under which access to a basic payment account is considered a service of general interest, in order to avoid financial exclusion;
Amendment 181 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Highlights the need for close cooperation between European, national and local authorities and consumer associations to establish consultation mechanisms, participation between the parties and material aid for consumer organisations in order to implement the measures planned in the Agenda;
Amendment 188 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Asks the Commission to make the RAPEX (Rapid Alert System for Non- Food Products) reporting system more transparent and effective; emphasises the need to develop the European Consumer Centres (ECC) and Consumer Protection Cooperation (CPC) networks; takes the view that the Commission should consider setting up a RAPEX-type system for services;
Amendment 195 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Emphasises that redressexisting mechanisms, such as alternative dispute resolution (ADR), collectivonline dispute resolution or onlinand collective dispute resolution instruments, must be fast, accessible and effective; stresses that ADR procedures should be resolved within a maximum of 90 days, and that unemployed consumers should, either individually or through a consumer association, have access to free income- based legal aid for court proceedings; considers that the Commission should submit a proposal for the revision of Council Directive 2002/8/EC to improve access to justice in cross-border disputes by establishing minimum common rules relating to legal aid for such disputes, making provision for granting the right to free legal aid to consumer associations;
Amendment 210 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Draws attention to the fact the next Multiannual Financial Framework for 2014 -2020 will have to incorporatesupport the objectives of the Consumer Agenda and provide it with proper funding, chiefly through the 2014-2020 Consumer Programme;