EU Consumers' 2020 Vision - The Consumer Voice in Europe - BEUC
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EU Consumers’
2020 Vision
The Consumer Voice in EuropeBEUC
Represents 42 national consumer organisations
Across 31 European countries
Exists 18,262 days on 6 March 2012
50
years
BEUC members
Have 3,953 staff combined
Gather 4,200,573 individual members and subscribers
Advised 3,234,504 consumers in 2011
Won 2,633 court cases
Tested 241,513 products since 2000
31. Introduction
BEUC, The European Consumer Organisation, is 50
this year. To mark this anniversary, we have set out our
vision for a 2020 EU Consumer Strategy.
The strategy is based on the experiences of our 42
member consumer organisations in 31 European
countries. Their daily contact with consumers across
Europe has enabled us to identify the challenges that
are facing these people – and that EU policymakers
must address.
We have also worked closely with a Consumer Strategy
Panel, composed of policymakers, academics and
stakeholders from business and public interest NGOs.
In these times of economic crisis, a well-designed
consumer policy is an essential factor of growth, of
well-functioning markets and, above all, of consumer
wellbeing.
We will share BEUC’s vision with policymakers during
our celebration year and in future. All stakeholders in
Europe, whether they’re governments at European or
national level, enforcement authorities, producers,
retailers or consumer organisations, must provide the
building blocks for a Europe where consumer wellbe-
ing is guaranteed.
Paolo Martinello
President
BEUC’s EU Consumers’ 2020 Vision 1And according to Article 12 TFEU, consumer protec-
tion requirements shall be taken into account in
defining and implementing other Union policies and
activities.
2. Old challenges, But the consumer protection framework needs to be
constantly watched over: to monitor its enforcement,
new challenges, ensure its relevance and provide, where needed,
measures for improvement. Legislation has not prop-
fresh vision erly addressed some of the existing challenges, and
new challenges for policymakers are emerging all the
time.
2.1. The regulatory background
2.2. Beyond laws and regulations
EU consumer policy has entered its fifth decade. In
the early days, the key challenges facing consumers Consumer policy strategy must constantly adapt to
were: the global environment in which consumers live. Fast-
•• product and services safety; evolving technologies are changing our lives, the way
•• finding truthful and non-biased information, and we communicate and our relationship with products.
having effective choice; The world works online without borders, and that
•• gaining protection against abusive marketing includes formal and informal decision-making struc-
practices and unfair contract terms; tures; our governments now engage with us on social
•• access to redress and effective participation in networks, for example. Meanwhile, more and more
decision-making. public services are being privatised. Consumer policy
must keep pace and merge seamlessly with all these
These have resulted in many different measures, laws critical developments, or it will be left behind, to the
and regulations. EU consumer policy has a strong detriment of consumer wellbeing.
legal grounding: Articles 114 and 169 of the Treaty on To ensure long-term consumer wellbeing, consumer
the Functioning of the EU (TFEU) state that the EU policy must also address the crisis in world markets:
institutions must base their measures on, and contrib- problems with the banks, the scarcity of raw materials,
ute to, a high level of consumer protection. climate change and ageing populations.
2Consumers’ lives have also become increasingly
complex. We live in turbulent times. The impact of the
Consumers also face problems of a
more general nature such as the sheer
3. A people-centred increase in the number of areas that
consumer policy they need to take responsibility for e.g.
pensions, health or higher educations.
strategy Decisions about these are complex and
tempting to put off, but need to be
In 2012, BEUC, The European Consumer Organisation,
made early in life and have a lifelong
celebrates its 50th birthday. During the past 50 years
impact. (Which?, UK)
we have seen, and strongly contributed to, some
great achievements for the wellbeing and rights of EU
2008 recession, still being acutely felt in many mem-
consumers: they have some of the strongest consum-
ber states, has dented consumer welfare and spend-
er rights in the world, clearer food labels, safer prod-
ing power, and has sharply increased the number of
ucts, holiday guarantees, cleaner beaches, cheaper
people vulnerable to deprivation. At the same time,
phone calls and can shop freely in the world’s largest
our member organisations throughout Europe report
internal trading market. But we feel that a ‘people-
increasing numbers of complaints, toothless authori-
centred’ consumer policy hasn’t been achieved. More
ties that do not enforce consumer rights and failing
work is needed to make sure consumers can really
liberalised sectors that do not deliver value for money
profit from the single market and to achieve a more
or good service.
sustainable, inclusive and responsive economy.
In times like these, EU institutions must take charge
and formulate a consumer policy strategy and actions
Of 56,437 survey responses, 79% that have the vision, integrity and strength to ad-
believe their rights are not respected. dress and remedy these failings. The economic crisis
(UFC – Que Choisir, France) should be turned into an opportunity to put people
at the centre of policymaking and have confident
consumers as the drivers of well-functioning mar-
BEUC’s EU Consumers’ 2020 Vision 3kets. To see a shift to sustainable consumer patterns,
policy decisions must be made in close cooperation
with consumers and their representative consumer
organisations.
The ultimate goal of the strategy must be to improve
consumer wellbeing through raising living standards 4. The EU single mar-
while protecting the environment. It’s a tall order, but
we believe it can be achieved. BEUC and its members
ket: an unfinished
are ready to support and cooperate in such action.
In 2020 we want to see a Europe that strives to move
symphony
the world towards better consumer protection, and
BEUC member organisations express mixed feel-
where consumers:
ings when it comes to the visible benefits that the
•• have straightforward, meaningful choices in fair
EU single market project has brought for consum-
and competitive markets and can exercise them;
ers. Many good things are highlighted: Innovation
•• get access to and better value from all goods and
stemming from ideas and competition, travelling
services, including basics such as health, energy
across borders, harmonised and improved consumer
and food;
rights (particularly from our members in the ‘newer’
•• benefit fully and safely from advances in
member states) and pro-consumer improvements in
technology;
certain sectors, particularly telecoms and air travel.
•• h
ave the knowledge and awareness to exercise
their rights;
•• h
ave access to impartial information and advice; Greek consumers have reaped great
•• a re given adequate and efficient tools to obtain benefits, but they often ignore that
redress; these are due to the Single Market.
•• fi nd sustainable choices to be the easy and af-
(E.K.PI.ZO, Greece)
fordable ones;
•• t rust that EU policymaking fully takes account of
But the general feeling is that the EU single market is
their interests;
still only ‘a partial reality for consumers’. This partial
•• a nd benefit from a strong and influential con-
reality is particularly visible in the online environ-
sumer movement at national and at EU level.
4ment, where the EU digital market is still divided by regulation. While self-regulation can be a useful
the established geographical borders, as a result of additional tool under certain conditions, our
antiquated copyright laws and company practices. experience shows that many such initiatives fail
As some have expressed it, while the single market to deliver concrete rights to consumers and fall
engine has been put in place, its mechanisms are not short of being smart alternatives to regulation by
working; the mechanisms to deliver for consumers public authorities. Financial services is one of the
need to be reliable and consistent. major sectors where over-reliance on self-regula-
tion has shown to be disastrous for consumers.
•• National enforcement authorities with no teeth:
Markets remain essentially domestic.
Even when consumer protection regulation
Few consumers venture across their does exist, in practice, there is an acute lack of
borders, the reason being language and effective enforcement throughout the Union,
aftersales service. (CLCV, France) and rights are widely violated as a consequence;
this is also reported as an increasing problem as
public budgets are squeezed more and more.
4.1. Reports from the frontline
The fact that Europe imports a lot of its goods is a
In a recent survey, we asked our members about cur- particular challenge in terms of enforcing product
rent problems in their countries, future challenges safety rules. The public agencies regulating the
and whether the single market has delivered for their energy and financial sectors come in for particular
consumers. As trusted organisations working with mention.
consumers and their problems on a daily basis, or car- •• Asserting legal rights: There is a lack of easy ac-
rying out extensive research, they have their fingers cess to justice and redress, including alternative
on the pulse and are well placed to assess conditions dispute resolution (ADR) and collective redress
in their countries. Here is what they found: mechanisms. The extent and nature of this prob-
lem varies between countries, as the systems are
different in each. But in general, individual con-
4.1.1. Rights on paper, but not in reality
sumers are deterred from going to court by the
Our member organisations mentioned three key high costs and general bureaucracy of judicial sys-
problems in the consumer protection landscape: tems, while various forms of non-judicial enforce-
•• Too much room for self-regulation: In many ment, such as ombudsmen services, arbitration or
sectors, EU policymakers rely on industry self- mediation services can be patchy and uncoordi-
BEUC’s EU Consumers’ 2020 Vision 5Clearly what we need is effective legisla- among authorities in charge of consumer protec-
tion, rigorous enforcement combined tion and a lack of support to consumer organisations.
This is a problem well evidenced in our recent report
with cheap and effective means of re-
on the state of the consumer movement in Central,
dress - including collective redress and
Eastern and South Eastern Europe (CESEE), and also
ADR mechanisms. (OCU, Spain) in the Commission’s latest Scoreboard, which shows,
for example, the minute amounts of money devoted
nated. The problem is now even more acute due
to this sector.
to the squeeze on public funds. In some of the
newer EU countries, the lack of access to justice is
reported as being practically total. Online dispute
There is limited understanding of the
resolution is still in its infancy. The lack of effec- importance of consumer policy within
tive redress mechanisms – public and private – is government, parliament and other
seen as a major barrier to cross-border shopping. official bodies. (PIAA, Latvia)
The latter problem is not confined to the newer mem-
4.1.2. Lack of official support for con-
bers, however; the financial crisis and consequent
sumer policy and organisations
budget cuts are causing reductions in and mergers
Consumer organisations from old and new member of dedicated consumer protection authorities in
states generally reported the same problems, though other member countries too. Generally, our members
those from the newer member states tended to remark that consumer protection authorities are just
report more extreme cases of basic rights abuse by not strong or able enough to cope with the negative
providers, as well as the need for consumer educa- impacts on consumers in complex liberalised markets
tion. In all EU countries, as well as at EU level, consum- (such as energy, financial services and telecoms), even
er organisations have insufficient funds to cover the though the situation does vary from country to coun-
broad range of issues relevant to consumers. try. Further, in the context of increasing liberalisation,
regulators are often the only authorities with pow-
One important difference, however, was between the ers to deal with consumer protection in the sector at
national governance systems – members in the newer stake. These regulators can be trapped in the so-called
member states report a general lack of understanding ‘regulators’ capture’, i.e. they are more concerned with
and support for consumer policy from both politicians creating the right market conditions for the industry
and authorities, and a consequent lack of resources than with addressing the needs of consumers.
6•• Delivering essential information in (often arti-
4.1.3. Empowerment or information
ficially) complex ways: for example, detailing a
overload?
huge range of extra charges, clauses, product
Empowering consumers is the holy grail of current combinations in ant-sized print. These can make
EU strategy and research. It is also a policy target for it hard for consumers to understand or abide by
national governments, often in tandem with poli- the rules, and easy for business to profit from
cies for smarter regulation or deregulation. It means the extra charges. Too often companies make
that consumers take decisions and choices into their deliberate use of consumer information fatigue
own hands where they can – provided that they have and their behavioural biases in their communica-
the right tools to do so. Tools such as ‘real choices, tion strategy.
accurate information, market transparency and the
confidence that comes from effective protection and
solid rights’ (EU Consumer Policy Strategy, 2007-2013).
Policy makers need to genuinely put
If the 500 million EU consumers have all that, they can the interests of consumers - particularly
influence markets with their collective power. vulnerable consumers - at the heart of
decision making rather than just paying
The reality, however, as our members tell us, is rather lip service to them.
different. Numerous elements converge to disem- (Consumer Focus, UK)
power consumers by making it impossible for them to
understand and act on the information they receive.
This increase in disempowerment, the reverse of
This ‘information tyranny’ or ‘information pollution’
what official strategies aim for, is compounded by the
takes the form of:
fact that current policy initiatives do not necessar-
• Information overload — the ‘volume’ of deci-
ily take into account the different information needs
sions that consumers must make has grown
of people according to their particular conditions or
exponentially.
vulnerabilities.
•• Increasing (sometimes artificially) the complex-
Ultimately, this ‘confuseopoly’ makes choices difficult,
ity of market sectors, products and services.
as there are so many dimensions to consider for
In recently liberalised sectors such as mobile
each product and service. The ‘right’ choice is not an
telephony or energy there are hundreds of com-
easy one. Searching for and receiving the necessary
plex tariffs, preventing consumers from making
information — if it’s available — is not only compli-
the most suitable choices. Our members call this
cated, but demands a great deal of time, which most
‘telecomplicatious’ and ‘confuseopoly’.
BEUC’s EU Consumers’ 2020 Vision 7consumers in their hectic daily lives cannot and do •• In the energy market, there is concern over
not want to spend. Being a well-informed consumer complex tariffs, rising prices, poor service or
increasingly becomes a full-time job. miss-selling, difficulty in switching and confusion
Finally, a modern consumer policy must take into over what consumers can do to lower their bills,
account that information proliferation does not including energy efficiency. The result is a large
automatically lead to ‘better’ consumer decisions, as increase in the number of consumers paying
it does not generate consumer knowledge. Consumer too much for their energy and even unable to
policy measures must therefore aim to improve con- afford to light and heat their homes. Markets do
sumer knowledge, for example, by providing ‘choice not function properly, leading to dramatic price
filters’ (something that consumer organisations are increases, and there is little choice or added value
very good at providing for their members). in choosing between providers.
•• In the food sector, as well as concerns about dra-
matic increases in prices, the biggest concerns
4.1.4. Essential services and product
were related to exposure to risks and hazards and
sectors most problematic
health, and in particular tackling increasing obe-
Invariably, the most essential sectors for consumer sity rates and diet-related diseases. Our members
wellbeing are also the most troublesome. Energy point to marketing to children and sponsorship
and financial services are top of the list of consumer of children’s programmes by companies produc-
ing foods high in fat, sugar and salt, perpetuating
The supposed liberalisation of energy these problems into the future.
•• In the retail financial services sector there is an
markets exemplifies a failed liberalisa-
even longer catalogue of concerns: needless
tion policy bringing little benefit to con-
complexity of financial products, a lack of trans-
sumers. (Test-Achats/Test-Aankoop, parency within businesses and lack of trust in the
Belgium) business itself; bad or insufficient advice and hid-
den commissions for intermediaries resulting in
concerns throughout member states, closely followed financial product miss-selling to consumers; high
by digital and telecommunication services and the costs and risk compared to revenues in invest-
food sector. Constantly rising prices are of universal ments; and no access to basic banking for some
concern — but each of these sectors displays its own of the most vulnerable consumers. On top of all
failures. this, there is snail-pace progress in measures to
842 members BEUC’s EU Consumers’ 2020 Vision
Austria Belgium
> Members
Verein für Test-Achats / Test-Aankoop
Konsumenteninformation (VKI)
• Founded in 1957
• Founded in 1961 • A BEUC founding member
• A BEUC member since 1991 • 354 staff
• 98 staff • Members in 2011: 350,000
• Subscriptions in 2011: private individuals
58,600 magazine and 9,500 online • Consumers advised in 2011:
subscriptions 320,000
• Consumers advised in 2011: 116,641 • www.test-achats.be
• www.konsument.at www.test-aankoop.be
France Finland
Organisation Générale des UFC – Que Choisir Consommation, Logement Kuluttajaliitto –
Consommateurs (OR.GE.CO) et Cadre de Vie (CLCV) Konsumentförbundet ry
• Founded in 1959 • Founded in 1951 • Founded in 1952 • Founded in 1990
• A BEUC founding member • A BEUC founding member • A BEUC member since 1991 • BEUC member since 1993
• 2 permanent staff • 124 staff • 15 staff • 11 staff
• 174,656 website visits in 2010 • Members in 2011: 155,000 • Members in 2011: 31,000 • Consumers advised in 2011:
• Consumers advised in 2011: • 388,740 subscribers to magazine • Consumers advised in 2011: 2,693
78,833 contacts including and 50,000 in free copies 100,000 • www.kuluttajaliitto.fi
phone calls and emails • Consumers advised in 2011: • www.clcv.org
• www.orgeco.net 200,000 by 160 local UFC-Que
Choisir organisations and approxi-
mately 100,000 complaints tackled
• www.quechoisir.orgBulgaria Cyprus Denmark Estonia
Bulgarian National Cyprus Consumers’ Forbrugerrådet Eesti Tarbijakaitse Liit
Association Active Consumers Association
(BNAAC) • Founded in 1947 • Founded in 1994
• Founded in 1973 • A BEUC member since 1973 • A BEUC member since 2004
• Founded in 1999 • A BEUC member since 2002 • Staff: about 100 employees • Members in 2011: 7 regional con-
• A BEUC member since • 4 staff • Members: About 83,000 individu- sumer associations
30th November, 2007 • Members in 2011: 5,000 als and more than 30 organisations • Website visits since 2003: 2,912,070
• 4 staff • Website visits: 5,000 per month • Consumers advised in 2011: 14,000 • www.tarbijakaitse.ee
• Registered users in 2011: • Consumers advised in 2011: 4,000 • www.taenk.dk
12,162 • www.cyprusconsumers.org.cy
• Consumers advised in 2011:
7,368
• www.aktivnipotrebiteli.bg
Germany Greece
Verbraucherzentrale Association for the Quality of Life Consumers’ Protection Center General Consumers’ Federation
Bundesverband (VZBV) (E.K.PI.ZO) (KEPKA) of Greece (INKA)
• Founded in 2000 as a result of • Founded in 1988 • Founded in 1982 • Founded in 1970
the merger of 3 consumer • A BEUC member since 1988 • A BEUC member since 1984 • A BEUC member since 2002
organisations: Arbeitsgemein-
schaft der Verbraucherver- • 18 staff • 3 staff and 21 volunteers • 46 member organisations
bände (AGV) founded in 1953, • Members in 2011: 12,500 • Members in 2011: 2,207 • www.inka.gr
Verbraucherschutzverein • Consumers advised in 2011: 86,455 • Consumers advised in 2011: 12,000
(VSV) founded in 1966 and • www.ekpizo.gr contacts
Verbraucherinstitut (VI), • www.kepka.org
founded in 1978.
• A BEUC founding member
• 119 staff
• Members in 2011: 41 (16 con-
sumer centres with 190 advice
centers, 25 consumer-oriented
organisations) and 9 support-
ing members
• www.vzbv.deHungary Iceland Ireland Italy
National Association for Neytendasamtökin (NS) Consumers’ Association of Ireland Altroconsumo
Consumer Protection in (CAI)
Hungary (OFE) • Founded in March, 1953
• A BEUC member since May 1995 • Founded in July 1966 • Founded in 1973
• Founded in 1982 • 7 staff • A BEUC member since 1973 • A BEUC founding member
• A BEUC member since 1998 • Members in 2011: 9,700 • 5 staff • 188 staff
• Staff: 5 employees, 80-100 (subscription on website) • Members in 2011: 3,800 • Members in 2011: 346,000
volunteers, 36 advisory offices • Consumers advised in 2011: 8,828 • Consumers advised in 2011: The or- • Consumer advised in 2011: 393,106
• Members in 2011: 900 • www.ns.is ganisation’s free telephone advice • www.altroconsumo.it
• Consumers advised in 2011: line currently generates 5,000 plus
12,500 calls per annum
• www.ofe.hu • www.consumerassociation.ie
Spain Sweden United Kingdom
Confederación de Consumidores Sveriges Konsumenter Consumer Focus Which?
y Usuarios (CECU)
• Founded in 1992 • Founded on October 1st 2008 as • Founded in 1957
• Founded in 1983 • A BEUC member since 1993 a result of a merger of 3 con- • A BEUC member since 1972
• A BEUC member since 1991 • 23 staff sumer organisations: The National • 469 staff
• 12 staff • Members in 2011: 26 organisations Consumer Council, Postwatch and • 580,840 subscribers to Which?
• Members in 2011: 68,967 • Subscribers to member magazine Energywatch. Magazine
• Consumers advised in 2011: Råd & Rön: 80,000 • Consumer Focus (first as Na- • Consumers advised in 2011:
205,806 • Consumers advised in 2011: 8,900 tional Consumer Council) is a BEUC 100,000s via helpdesk, magazine
• www.cecu.es • www.sverigeskonsumenter.se member since 1975 and campaigns
• 155 staff • www.which.co.uk
• Consumers advised in 2011: 18,359
contacts, mainly by telephone and
email
• www.consumerfocus.org.ukLatvia Luxembourg Malta Netherlands
Latvian National Association for Union Luxembourgeoise des Ghaqda tal-Konsumaturi Consumentenbond
Consumer Protection (LPIAA) Consommateurs (ULC)
• Founded April 3rd 1982 • Founded in 1953
• Founded in 1999 • Founded in 1962 • A BEUC member since 2004 • A BEUC founding member
• A BEUC member since 2002 • A BEUC founding member • Staff: six volunteers • 210 staff
• 4 staff • 25 staff • Members: 145 • Members in 2011: 480,000
• Consumers advised in 2011: 3,600 • Members in 2011: 44,000 families • www.camalta.org.mt • Consumers advised in 2011:
• www.pateretajs.lv • www.ulc.lu Around 200,000 customer
contacts on a yearly basis
• www.consumentenbond.nl
> AffiliatesNorway Poland Portugal
Forbrukerrådet Association of Polish Consumers Federacja Konsumentów Deco
(SKP)
• Founded in 1953 • Founded in July 1981 • Founded in 1974
• A BEUC member since 1994 • Founded March 14th, 1995 • A BEUC member since 1999 • BEUC member since 1978
• Staff: 130 • A BEUC member since May 2005 • 18 staff • 83 staff
• Consumers advised in 2011: • 5 staff • Members in 2011: 2,500 • Members in 2011: 413,000
100,000 • Consumers advised in 2011: 47,700 • Consumers advised in 2011: 73,899. • Consumers advised in 2011:
• www.forbrukerportalen.no contacts 9,000 incoming calls since the 369,767 contacts
• www.skp.pl set-up of a consumer hotline in 2011 • www.deco.proteste.pt
• www.federacja-konsumentow.org.pl
Austria Croatia Czech Republic Finland
Kuluttaja
virasto asiamies
Consumer Agency & Ombudsman
Arbeiterkammer Potrošač Czech Association of Consumers Kuluttajavirasto
TEST
• Founded in 1990
• Founded in 1920 • Founded in May, 2002 • Founded in 1992 • BEUC member since 1993
• A BEUC member since 2000 • A BEUC member since November • A BEUC member since April 2010 • 70 staff
• www.arbeiterkammer.at 2008 • 11 staff • wwww.kuluttajavirasto.fi
• 23 staff and more than 500 volun- • Members in 2011: 25,000
teers • Website visits (2011): 3,642,218
• Members in 2011: 14 associations • Consumers advised in 2011: 11,796
with more than 20,000 individual • www.dtest.cz
members
• 181,102 website visits in 2011
• Consumers advised in 2011: 15,979
• www.potrosac.hrRomania Slovakia Slovenia Spain
Association for Consumers’ Pro- Association of Slovak Zveza Potrošnikov Slovenije (ZPS) Organización de Consumidores
tection (APC) Consumers (ZSS) y Usuarios (OCU)
• Founded in June 1990
• Founded in 1990 • Founded in 1990 • A BEUC member since 1995 • Founded in 1975
• A BEUC member since 2005 • A BEUC member since 2001 • 35 staff • A BEUC member since 1978
• 21 staff • 5 staff • Members in 2011: 8,000 • 300 staff
• Members in 2011: 26,147 • Consumers advised in 2011: • Consumers advised in 2011: 10,000 • Members in 2011: 304,701
• Consumers advised in 2011: 2,717 15,000 contacts consumers and 3,000 ZPS mem- • Consumers advised in 2011:
given advice and 7,431 information • www.zss.sk bers require ZPS’ advice on a yearly 411,120
requests basis • www.ocu.org
• www.apc-romania.ro • www.zps.si
Germany Italy FYROM Switzerland
Stiftung Warentest Consumatori Italiani per l’Europa Consumers’ Organisation of Fédération Romande des
(CIE) Macedonia Consommateurs (FRC)
• Founded in 1964
• A BEUC member since 1965 • Founded 8th March 2010 by ACU, • Founded in 1996 • Founded in 1959
• 291 staff Codici and Casa del Consumatore • A BEUC member since 2000 • A BEUC member since 1992
• The main magazine ’Test’ has a • A BEUC member since November • 7 staff • 18 staff
circulation of 497.000 (retail + 6th, 2010 • Members in 2011: 750 • Members in 2011: 26,200
subscription) • Staff: ACU: 400, Codici: 310, • Consumers advised in 2011: 3,330 • Consumers adviced in 2011:
• 32 million website visits in 2010 Casa del Consumatore: 120 • www.opm.org.mk 7,000
• www.test.de • Members in 2011: Codici: 33,000, • www.frc.ch
Casa del Consumatore: 91,214,
ACU: 42,000
• Consumers advised in 2011: ACU:
120,000, Casa del Consumatore:
80,000, Codici: 35,000
• www.cie-europa.eu31 Countries
improve consumer protection in this failed sec- designed in a way that leaves consumers helpless
tor. Powers are on the side of banks, rather than if they’re not tech-savvy.
the people they are supposed to serve.
Our TVs, mobile phones, radios, camer-
Many consumers do not understand as should be intuitive to the point where
or know what to expect from financial a person with little knowledge of the
services products. Moreover, consum- product can use it without special in-
ers profoundly mistrust the sector. structions. (Forbrugerrådet, Denmark)
(Which?, UK)
4.1.5. L iberalised markets not living up
•• In the digital sector, which has become not only to consumer expectations
an essential service, but also the new market
Many of the examples in the previous paragraphs
driver and life-blood of innovation, the key
relate to formerly regulated markets that have been
concerns are of a lack of privacy, covert means
liberalised under EU policy. This liberalisation process
of data mining and breaching data protection,
has been launched towards the public by promoting
security and fraud issues, a shift towards repres-
the positive effects that such an approach will have on
sive enforcement of intellectual property rights,
markets, prices and consumer choice. The reality is
and limited legal offers of digital content (such
as catch-up tv), which is often available in only
some member states. In the related telecoms So far liberalisation means many new
market, BEUC members highlight the complex regulatory requirements, the ‘tariff
tariff structures and contract lock-ins which make jungle’ and competition at consumers’
changing providers difficult, abusive practices in
expense. Is there a need to reconsider?
some countries, complicated contracts and unfair
(VZBV, Germany)
contract terms. Increasingly, if you are not con-
nected, you are excluded, and many of Europe’s
more than disappointing: it has become evident over
consumers still are. Moreover, we are still in the
the years that the liberalisation of markets does not
stone age of digitalisation with a lack of consum-
automatically mean more competition and that in
er-driven innovation – most digital products are
BEUC’s EU Consumers’ 2020 Vision 9In 20 years, we have gone from govern- strong, solid and modern EU single market.
ment monopolies to the dictatorship of The role of consumer policy as a driver for growth has
never been really taken to heart by the EU policy-
very large companies. (CECU, Spain)
making community, whose principal goal, certainly
in more recent years, has been to decrease busi-
many, if not all, of the liberalised sectors, consumers
ness transaction costs for inter-community trading.
witness more and more concentrated markets and
Politicians encourage consumers to consume ever
the advent of increasingly powerful oligopolies.
more because this means more state income, more
employment, more production and consequently
more growth. The realities of increasing consumer
deprivation, uncertainty and an alarming increase in
bankruptcies have not been addressed adequately,
yet the lack of consumer confidence has a huge effect
on the economy (consumer spending accounts for
50-75% of the GDP in industrialised nations).
More than ever, we need EU and national policymak-
ers to see consumer policy as one of the essential
5. A consumer drivers of economic recovery, alongside competi-
policy for sustain- tion policy, industrial policy and — equally impor-
tantly — social justice in markets. Also, it is crucial
able growth and to acknowledge that sound consumer policy needs
strong consumer representation at the various levels
welfare of policymaking. The identification and formulation of
consumer interests cannot be left to other stake-
holders. Together, all these measures should work in
harmony to deliver outcomes that are beneficial to
5.1. Consumer policy as an element of people and the economy as a whole. Economic policy
growth is a means to an end, not an end in itself.
A strong and modern consumer policy is an important
part of providing the way out of the current crisis,
and to avoid crisis in the future. It must be a pillar of a
105.2. Consumer policy key to sustainable
While the consumer movement has an important
growth
role to play in raising awareness, making sustainable
Sustainability is about meeting the needs of today’s consumer choices easier, and putting pressure on
generations without preventing future generations the supply-side of the market to deliver sustainable
from meeting theirs. Sustainable growth therefore products and services, it is important not to make
needs to be at the heart of policymaking. ‘consumer empowerment’ an excuse for not tak-
ing much-needed political action; the key current
We need to develop models of consumption that concerns over climate, water scarcity and biodiversity
deliver more welfare to households without an involve difficult choices related to our food, housing
obligatory increase in the current metrics of GDP and transport and cannot be addressed by consumer
and continued environmental damage, consumer choices alone. EU consumer policy must tackle these
indebtedness at home and subsistence labour abroad. difficult issues, and it must make the sustainable
choice the cheapest and the easiest one, through a
combination of ‘carrot and stick’ measures for indus-
The lack of a real opportunity to make try and consumers.
sustainable choices is a big problem. A Further, the demographic challenge that Europe has
more complex market, a lack of time, to face, in the form of an increased ageing population,
unclear and complex contract terms requires new types of products and services. An older
population will have different levels and forms of vul-
and sophisticated marketing make con-
nerability, and these must be taken into consideration
sumer choices difficult. (Sveriges Kon-
when designing products and services and providing
sumenter, Sweden) information.
These include models that use smart technologies
(cloud computing); models that can reduce consumer
vulnerability; and models of collective purchasing
and collaborative consumption that reduce the need
for producing more goods (car clubs, and refund
schemes). These call for a new kind of smart, sustain-
able and inclusive consumer policy, with more focus
on the use and service of products.
BEUC’s EU Consumers’ 2020 Vision 11initiatives, with a clear consumer dimension, which is
often missing or not sufficiently developed. We need
a pan-EU visionary consumer policy strategy which
includes all the market sectors relevant to consum-
ers, as well as the cross-cutting issues of enforcement
6. Towards a future and redress. The strategy must address key concerns
and identify consumers’ future needs. It should not
strategy be limited to the current Commission’s term of office,
but must go beyond and provide guidance for the
The acute consumer concerns highlighted by our next decade. Finally, it must proceed in line with good
member organisations are well documented and governance principles.
researched. And we realise that some of the problems
listed above have been addressed in recent legislative
6.1. Objectives for a 2020 strategy
and policy measures, such as the Third Energy Pack-
age and the Telecoms Reform Package or the more Within the EU market economy, consumers must be
recent ‘flagship initiative’ for a Resource Efficient given the right tools if they are to play their role of
Europe 2020. The impact of these is still to be felt and drivers of the market. They must be able to trust mar-
evaluated, on the basis of measurable outcomes for kets and have the skills and competencies to make
consumers. the right choices. Their welfare, and that of future
Many of the current challenges are going to be with generations, should be at the centre of policymak-
us for years to come and will be exacerbated by con- ing, providing them with affordable prices for all life’s
tinuous technological developments, the digitalisa- essentials, as well as safe and sustainable products
tion of our daily lives, and the globalisation of our and services, and access to effective redress in case of
economies. market dysfunction.
An EU consumer strategy must consider the impact of
the recession, which has affected the welfare of con- To meet the ambitious goals of smart, sustainable and
sumers in key areas of everyday life, and has resulted inclusive growth, we have identified the following
in a rising number of vulnerable and disadvantaged objectives that we consider to be achievable by 2020
people. It must be comprehensive and cut across all through an ambitious EU consumer policy that can
sectors within the EU portfolio of responsibilities, and be embedded into the Europe 2020 priorities. These
should be coordinated with other key EU strategic objectives have to be set across consumer services
initiatives and priorities, such as the Europe 2020 and products markets and sectors. To ensure they
12are met, measurable targets and key performance swiftly intervene in case of self-regulatory failure,
indicators must also be created, and BEUC is ready to based on concrete indicators defined when the
collaborate here. self-regulation was adopted.
The objectives below are not exhaustive, but aim to
provide orientation for identifying and addressing the
6.1.2. C
onsumers get access to and bet-
major challenges ahead and for setting up a modern,
ter value from all goods and ser-
ambitious and efficient EU consumer policy strategy
vices
to these ends:
•• Ensure that all EU consumers have access to
safe, affordable and healthy food, produced in a
6.1.1. Consumers have straightforward,
sustainable way;
meaningful choices in fair and com-
•• Require that all EU consumers have access to a
petitive markets and can exercise
basic financial service;
them
•• Extend access for all EU consumers to very fast
•• Establish tools to ensure proactive implemen- broadband telecoms networks and improve the
tation of competition and consumer protec- reach of existing technologies;
tion policies and swift action by regulators and •• Embed a ‘design for all’ principle into all products
enforcement authorities against misleading and and related information, to ensure they are fully
unfair practices; accessible by people with disabilities;
•• Make strategic use of available research data to •• Ensure that energy is affordable for all by de-
anticipate and prevent consumer detriment, signing a consumer-oriented retail market and
rather than having to cure it; energy efficiency policies;
•• Make use of research data also to develop a •• Guarantee that all consumers have access to safe
member states ranking system for their imple- and innovative health products and services.
mentation of consumer policy;
•• Ensure that any new or revised regulation is fo-
6.1.3. Consumers benefit fully and safely
cused on consumers, based on robust, independ-
from advances in technology
ent evidence and provides essential safeguards
for vulnerable people; •• Ensure product safety through promoting
•• Ensure that where industry is entrusted with self- ambitious safety standards and efficient market
regulatory initiatives, a monitoring and reporting controls to ensure an internationally level playing
system is established to allow the legislator to field;
BEUC’s EU Consumers’ 2020 Vision 13•• Ensure that advances in technology improve
6.1.4. C
onsumers have access to impar-
consumers’ standards of living, respond to their
tial information and advice, and
needs and expectations and take account of the
acquire the knowledge to exercise
maturing society;
their rights
•• Define an efficient, transparent and robust regula-
tory framework that is future proof; •• Guarantee that information provided to consum-
•• Involve consumers in research and development ers on goods and services is easily accessible,
processes to make sure that advances in technol- clear, unbiased, accurate, up-to-date, based on
ogy are demand-driven, consumer-centred and independent evidence and easy to compare with
accepted for use; similar products or services;
•• Require that all digital communication tools have •• Encourage effective consumer education as part
integrated privacy by design; of the curriculum in EU primary and secondary
•• Mandate default rules that are most favourable to schools, either standalone or as part of a wider
privacy and consumer protection; citizenship education programme;
•• Ensure that all EU consumers benefit from a
neutral internet, where they are able to access, A low level of consumer rights’ aware-
use, send, post, receive, or offer any content, ap-
ness is the main problem in Bulgaria.
plication, or service of their choice irrespective of
Knowing this, many unscrupulous trad-
source or target, while respecting existing laws on
e-commerce and intellectual property;
ers mislead consumers unaware of how
•• Establish a forward-looking and balanced copy- to protect themselves.
right framework, by creating a clear set of manda- (BNAAC, Bulgaria)
tory consumer rights for lawful use throughout
the EU. •• Devise policy approaches that seek to reduce the
complexity of products and services for consum-
ers, keeping in mind consumer expectations and
behaviour;
•• Test information with the people who have to use
it, on a regular basis.
14•• Encourage national enforcement authorities to
6.1.5. Consumers benefit from efficient
work closely together, as well as with consumer
enforcement and are given ad-
organisations, to close any enforcement gaps
equate tools to obtain redress
that could arise within the EU.
•• Ensure that, through training programmes and
relevant information, traders are increasingly
6.1.6. C
onsumers find sustainable choic-
aware of consumer rights and respect them when
es to be the easy and affordable
designing their standard contracts and preparing
ones
their marketing tools;
•• Ensure that consumers benefit from a wide
choice of sustainable products and services at
Even if consumer rights are clearly
affordable prices;
defined, things often work out differ-
•• Guarantee that consumers are not exposed,
ently in practice: customer complaints directly or indirectly to hazardous chemicals;
are often dealt with by goodwill and not •• Mandate EU standards to ensure that social and
on the basis of consumers’ legal rights. environmental factors are taken into account
(VKI, Austria) when designing a product and during its life-
cycle;
•• Mandate that all EU consumers benefit from an •• Continue with market policies that result in
effective EU-wide collective judicial redress, to the removal of less sustainable products from
prevent and compensate harm, both at national markets, and their replacement with resource
and cross-border level and for the whole range of efficient alternatives;
rights that they have in law; •• Ensure that all products and services are labelled
•• Equally require that all market sectors provide for with transparent, accurate and comparable
independent and effective systems of alternative sustainability information, while green claims are
dispute resolution that are also open to cross- evidence-based and misleading claims are proac-
border litigation; tively sanctioned.
•• Ensure that in all product and service sectors, na-
tional enforcement authorities can take effective
and dissuasive actions against all infringements
of consumer rights, and especially against unfair
contract terms and unfair commercial practices;
BEUC’s EU Consumers’ 2020 Vision 156.1.7. Consumers trust that EU policy- The development of consumer organi-
making fully takes account of their
sations should be reflected in EU policy.
interests
There is a need of resources, capacity
•• Proactively consider and use research data on building and to create a consumer-
consumer markets and consumer behaviour in EU
friendly environment.
policy and decision-making across all sectors;
(Federacja Konsumentów, Poland)
•• Ensure that all proposals for EU legislation which
have an impact on consumer wellbeing provide
for a consumer impact assessment, based on con- 6.1.8. C
onsumers benefit from a strong
sultation with consumer representatives; and influential consumer move-
•• Provide for a balanced representation of different ment at national and at EU level
stakeholders in all EU expert groups and make it
•• Formally recognise and support the importance
possible for consumer representatives to influ-
of a strong and well-resourced consumer move-
ence their decisions;
ment, both at national and at EU level;
•• Make certain that all EU legislation with an impact
•• Identify more sustainable models of funding Eu-
on consumers’ welfare is based on a high level
ropean and national consumer organisations and
of consumer protection, meets the needs and
facilitate their implementation;
expectations of European consumers and is ef-
•• Include consumer representation at EU and at
ficient;
national level as a horizontal policy objective in
•• Provide for an obligation on EU institutions to
all the EU consumer policy financial programmes,
demonstrate integration of consumer policy into
and ensure that significant funds are allocated for
other policies through regular publicly available
this purpose;
reports.
•• Provide specific funding and capacity building for
consumer organisations and consumer policy in
the CESEE countries, taking account of the need
for continuous updating of their capacities, as a
response to market and social developments.
16•• AT - Verein für Konsumenteninformation - VKI •• HU - National Association for Consumer Protection in Hungary -
•• AT - Arbeiterkammer - AK OFE
•• BE - Test-Achats/Test-Aankoop •• IE - Consumers’ Association of Ireland - CAI
•• BG - Bulgarian National Association Active Consumers - BNAAC •• IS - Neytendasamtökin - NS
•• CH - Fédération Romande des Consommateurs - FRC •• IT - Altroconsumo
•• CY - Cyprus Consumers’ Association •• IT - Consumatori Italiani per l’Europa - CIE
•• CZ - Czech Association of Consumers TEST •• LU - Union Luxembourgeoise des Consommateurs - ULC
•• DE - Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband - vzbv •• LV - Latvia Consumer Association - PIAA
•• DE - Stiftung Warentest •• MK - Consumers’ Organisation of Macedonia - OPM
•• DK - Forbrugerrådet - FR •• MT - Ghaqda tal-Konsumaturi - CA Malta
•• EE - Estonian Consumers Union - ETL •• NL - Consumentenbond - CB
•• EL - Association for the Quality of Life - E.K.PI.ZO •• NO - Forbrukerrådet - FR
•• EL - General Consumers’ Federation of Greece - INKA •• PL - Federacja Konsumentów - FK
•• EL - Consumers’ Protection Center - KEPKA •• PL - Stowarzyszenie Konsumentów Polskich - SKP
•• ES - Confederación de Consumidores y Usuarios - CECU •• PT - Associação Portuguesa para a Defesa do Consumidor - DECO
•• ES - Organización de Consumidores y Usuarios - OCU •• RO - Association for Consumers’ Protection - APC Romania
•• FI - Kuluttajaliitto - Konsumentförbundet ry •• SE - The Swedish Consumers’ Association
•• FI - Kuluttajavirasto •• SI - Slovene Consumers’ Association - ZPS
•• FR - UFC - Que Choisir •• SK - Association of Slovak Consumers - ZSS
•• FR - Consommation, Logement et Cadre de Vie - CLCV •• UK - Which?
•• FR - Organisation Générale des Consommateurs - OR.GE.CO •• UK - Consumer Focus
•• HR - Croatian Union of the Consumer Protection Associations -
Potrosac
BEUC activities are partly funded from the EU budget
The Consumer Voice in Europe
Bureau Européen des Unions de Consommateurs AISBL | Der Europäische Verbraucherverband
Rue d’Arlon 80, B-1040 Brussels • Tel. +32 (0)2 743 15 90 • Fax +32 (0)2 740 28 02 • consumers@beuc.eu • www.beuc.euYou can also read
