Activities of Malcolm HARBOUR related to 2011/2149(INI)
Plenary speeches (1)
Consumer policy (short presentation)
Shadow reports (1)
REPORT on a new strategy for consumer policy PDF (240 KB) DOC (173 KB)
Amendments (21)
Amendment 35 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 17
Paragraph 1 17
1. Welcomes the Commission's initiative to launch a Consumer Agenda and emphasises the need for the Commission to propose a proactive policy for defining smart regulation, with the objective of achieving a coherent legal framework; Calls furthermore for all future consumer policy measures to be based on a holistic approach and placeing consumers at the heart of the Single Market;
Amendment 38 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Stresses that policy priorities should be linked and supported by statistics from the Consumer Scoreboard; Calls furthermore on the Commission to take into account the recently published top 20 main concerns of citizens and businesses with the Single Market in its consumer policy strategy;
Amendment 39 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 b (new)
Paragraph 1 b (new)
19 1b. Welcomes the Commission's proposals in its 2012 Work Programme to review Consumer Policy and legislative strategy, integrating initiatives across all the Commission's responsible services; Notes in particular the need to ensure that consumers across the European union receive the full protection offered by key legislation, such as the unfair commercial practices and consumer credit Directives;
Amendment 41 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 c (new)
Paragraph 1 c (new)
20 1c. Regrets the large gap between the level in domestic online retail and cross-border purchasing; notes according to the Consumer Scoreboard that 44% of consumers said that uncertainty about their rights discouraged them from buying goods from other Member States and that late or no delivery as well as fraud are the major factors preventing take up in cross- border purchasing; Calls therefore for the EU's consumer policy strategy to support growth and innovation in the retail sector and in particular the completion of the digital single market to help EU consumers shop cross border;
Amendment 43 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
21 2. Emphasises the need for the proper implementation of existing legislation (in particular the latest consumer rights directive) accompanied by appropriate dissemination of the new ‘rules of the game’; emphasises furthermore the need to examine the existing acquis following adoption of the consumer rights directive and planned new initiatives;
Amendment 49 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
24 3. Highlights the numerous challenges facing the Consumer Agenda: making sure private consumption becomes more sustainable, reducing levels of inequality between consumers, reducing consumers' exposure to hazardous chemicals and products and protecting children from advertisingunsafe products;
Amendment 64 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
31 5. Points out that, given the enormoussignificant increase in e-commerce, which is of great importance to consumers, with 40% of EU citizens purchasing online, consumers' confidence in cross-border online purchasing arrangements needs to be increased by guaranteeing their rights on the internet as well;
Amendment 78 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Emphasises the need to provide consumers with more transparent information, for example through unit price indication rules andhen shopping online with clear, complete and transparent information, for example information on product interoperability, indications of unit prices and website standards ensuring accurate and transparent internet price comparison websites;
Amendment 107 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Emphasises the need to provide betterensure protection for vulnerable consumer groups, such as children and the elderly; points out that children are exposed to extensive advertising even though they have no possibility to make informed choices;
Amendment 112 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. UrEncourages the Commission to continue to include the protection of children among the main priorities of the Consumer Agenda and propose a ban on TV advertising and direct advertising aimed at children under the age of 12; ; Or. en 53
Amendment 122 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Stresses the urgent need to increase the general standard of safety of consumer products entering the EU, as consumers are confronted daily with cocktails of chemicals which are carcinogenic or disruptive to the hormonal system market by enhancing market surveillance;
Amendment 126 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
Amendment 130 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
Amendment 134 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
Amendment 143 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
Amendment 147 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Calls for the RAPEX notification system to be made more transparent and effective so that legislators arestrengthened and made more effective and transparent for consumers, to ensure better overall awareness of the risks posed by specific consumer products and to enable companies and customs authorities to take swift and appropriate action;
Amendment 156 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Calls on the Commission to take decisions on matters such as the sale of goods and unfair contract terms, a review of the rules on unfair commercial practices (UCP), the Consumer Credit Directive, misleading advertising, extending the scope of the Late Payment Directive20 to cover business-to-consumer relations and the broader issue of whether the rules on UCP need to apply to business-to-business relations;
Amendment 160 #
Motion for a resolution
Subheading IV
Subheading IV
IV. Towards a more socialn integrated and sustainable Europeconsumer policy strategy delivering new growth and social objectives
Amendment 181 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
84 26. Calls for more accessible and more effective redress mechanisms, such as alternative dispute resolution, collective redress or online dispute resolution, to empower consumers throughout the EU;
Amendment 183 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 a (new)
Paragraph 26 a (new)
85 26a. Considers that there is strong evidence that proposals for a 28th regime or an optional instrument will be costly and complex, will bring no added value for consumers and will on the contrary contribute to fragmenting the consumer acquis; Takes the view that the development of a toolbox to create more consistent and coherent legislation and standard contract terms and conditions, could be a proportionate and realistic method to improve the functioning of the Single Market for consumers; Stresses that an option that goes further than the toolbox should not be supported;
Amendment 184 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 b (new)
Paragraph 26 b (new)
26b. Calls on the Commission to launch an inter-institutional debate on the appropriate way forwards for the further legal protection of consumers in their market transactions, with due regard to the approach set out in the Consumer Rights Directive;