Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2003-03-13-Speech-4-044"

Predicate	Value (sorted: default)
rdf:type	lpv_eu:Speech2
dcterms:Date	"2003-03-13"^^xsd:date2
dcterms:Is Part Of	lp_eu:Consumer Policy Strategy 2002-20062
dcterms:Language	"de"^^xsd:language2
lpv:document identification number	"en.20030313.1.4-044"2
lpv:hasSubsequent	lp_eu:2003-03-13-Speech-4-0452
lpv:speaker	lp:Horst Schnellhardt2
lpv:spokenAs	unknown; Christlich Demokratische Union Deutschlands (1999-07-20--2004-07-19)3 member; Members from the European Parliament to the Joint Parliamentary Assembly of the Agreement between the African, Caribbean and Pacific States and the European Union (ACP-EU) (2002-02-06--2004-07-19)3 substitute; Committee on Industry, External Trade, Research and Energy (2002-01-17--2004-07-19)3 member; EPP-ED (1999-07-20--2004-07-19)3 member; Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Consumer Policy (2002-01-17--2004-07-19)3
lpv:translated text	"Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, we have spent over twenty-five years working on protection for European consumers, and not a Parliamentary sitting goes by without consumer issues being discussed. I know I am disagreeing with some of those who have spoken today when I say that the rules that have worked for years have proved their worth and that their effects live on, even though they ended up as a legal package of which nobody could get an overview, and there are still some loopholes. The Commission is therefore right, by means of the proposals on consumer protection, to seek ways out of the confusion and suggest what some of those ways might be. I want to put the case for a framework directive with a comprehensive clause founded on the principles of sound business practice. More and more frequently, the internal market ends up being handicapped as a result of the lack of regulations or the leeway left by the directives. It is particularly in view of enlargement that measures need to be taken to remedy this as soon as possible, and there is a need to combat not only unfair business practices that affect consumers, but also those used by all participants in the internal market on each other. This latter category would include the attempts made by some Member States to use the protection of consumers or their health as a shield with which to protect national markets and industries from competition. There are also those who call themselves campaigners for consumers' rights who allow themselves to be engaged in this cause and help to drive competitors from the market. That is why I believe it necessary to make greater use of the legal form of a Regulation in order to achieve greater legal certainty. That will also lead to harmonisation, and that is what we need in the internal market. The Commission has drawn up a comprehensive list and appended it as an annex. All the points in it are important, but the new priorities in the Whitehead Report introduce a succession of others, ranging from important to less important. What Mr Whitehead has said today has actually contradicted this order of priorities. Consumers can avail themselves of their rights only when they know what those are. Work on consumer protection should make information policy a priority. Consumers' associations have an important part to play in this, and governments must support them in it. It is because of their failure to do this that we have to set up these consumer centres in our Member States if we are to make progress in this area."@en1

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