Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2010-03-09-Speech-2-021"

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"en.20100309.4.2-021"2
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"Mr President, there is now a pressing view, which is confirmed in the Treaty of Lisbon and by the position taken by the Commission itself, that consumer protection policy needs to focus on safeguarding a healthy market in which consumers can act with safety and confidence. This reasoning is based on the fact that, if consumers feel comfortable and confident in the market and cross-border trade is encouraged, competitiveness will increase and consumers will have a wider selection of goods and services at more competitive prices. We do not agree with the position and the view that more efficient and flexible consumer markets are fundamental factors for competitiveness and citizens’ prosperity. The economic crisis proves that we need to be guided by the particular conditions in each state and not by the dogmatic application of a single standard, namely that of unadulterated competition. We consider that competitiveness is not intertwined with citizens’ prosperity, because it tends to favour companies, given that, to date, price reductions as a whole have demonstrably not benefited consumers. We need price controls for basic goods, for the benefit of the poorer classes and society as a whole. The only policy that can consolidate and raise the level of consumer protection is one that revolves around man and his prosperity and not around increasing competition. This being so, we agree with a scoreboard to record and evaluate European consumer satisfaction with the smooth operation of the market but, on the other hand, we should not move away from the essence and the objective, which is none other than to operate a people-oriented internal market which revolves around man’s prosperity, not around numbers. We see a consumer scoreboard as a tool for recording the extent of consumer satisfaction within a specific framework and at a particular point in time. However, this evaluation and these records alone cannot bring greater prosperity to citizens purely and simply because, apparently, they will give consumers greater self-confidence and security. Furthermore, any evaluation needs to be made on the basis of quantifiable social targets. We also note that, as the primary objective of the scoreboard is to record consumer complaints, particular emphasis needs to be given to the measures which need to be taken to prevent profiteering."@en1
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