Friday 11 February 2011

Are consumer protection rules a means to an end?

…in a form of the Single Market, mainly – as stated in the Lisbon Strategy – to make the EU the best economic and competitive player in the word.

In my opinion, a speech delivered by Commissioner John Dalli on 8 February 2011 on “European Citizens at the Heart of the Single Market” confirms that the Commission is going to tie consumer policy into its economic policy objectives even tighter than in the last decades.

What makes me think that?

No doubt that the Single Market has been fundamental to the EU integration. With time it has been regarded as the basis on which to unlock growth in the EU. “The whole is more then the sum of its parts” – said the Commissioner. The success of the Single Market depends on enhancing and strengthening consumers’ confidence. From this perspective – in the Commissioner opinion – there is still an unacceptable degree of market fragmentation.

What about concrete actions? They should be focused on: safety, information and education, redress and enforcement. New legislatives are planned.

To sum up, I think that consumer law may be regarded as a set of rules which has to serve the EU competitiveness – be economically efficient. It shall help the EU to protect its market from distortions, fragmentation and problems.