Last Friday, European consumer organisation BEUC published a Memorandum for the Greek Presidency of the EU in this first half of 2014. Not surprisingly, BEUC remains very critical of the currently pending proposal for an optional Common European Sales Law (CESL). Other demands include:
'• Product safety and market surveillance: Consumers’ exposure to unsafe products need to be minimised and market surveillance improved;
• Package travel: The legal protections for holidaymakers who book travel packages need to be modernised;
• Data Protection: An update of EU’s personal data protection rules should strengthen citizens’ protection and control over their own data;
• Key Information Document (KID) for retail investment products: Consumers need to be able to easily compare different kinds of products before deciding how to invest their savings;
• Payment accounts: Bank account fees should become more transparent, switching of accounts made easier and all EU consumers given access to a basic bank account;
• Official controls of food: Transparent controls, independent inspections and tougher enforcement can help restore consumer trust in food and the food chain;
• Medical devices: The revision of the current laws on medical devices should lead to improving the quality and safety of the medical devices sector, thereby restoring consumer trust.'
