For just 5 cents per citizen a year, the European Union’s consumer programme helps citizens to fully enjoy their consumer rights and actively participate in the Single Market. The total budget for the programme is €188.8 million for 2014-2020.

The Consumer Programme has a great impact on consumers despite its modest budget. It will serve consumers in all Member States with projects ranging from coordinating enforcement actions, co-financing the European Consumer Centres to assisting national authorities in resolving breaches of consumer laws. “It is an essential element in ensuring that the single market works to the benefit of consumers everywhere across Europe” said EU Commissioner for Consumer Policy Neven Mimica.

Much was achieved by the first Consumer Programme (2007-2013). Amongst the projects funded in that period were enforcement cooperation actions across the EU, educational projects such as the Consumer Classroom and development of the Online Dispute Resolution platform.

The new Consumer Programme will continue to build on these successes, focusing on four key areas:

  • a single market of safe products to the benefit of citizens and in the interest of competitive businesses and traders;
  • a single market where citizens are well represented by effective consumer organisations with the capacity to meet the challenges of today’s economic environment;
  • facilitation of access to redress mechanisms in case of problems without needing to resort to court procedures which are lengthy and costly both for consumers and the public purse. Easier redress will give consumers more confidence to participate in the market and contribute to growth;
  • A concrete and effective collaboration between national bodies to support the enforcement of consumer rights and provide the consumers with advice.

Government entities, public bodies and national and EU level consumer organisations, can also apply for support through these funds.

Consumer spending accounts for 56% of the European Union’s GDP. More than ever, well-informed and knowledgeable consumers can drive innovation and growth by demanding value, quality and service. New needs have appeared as a consequence of the economic crisis and new ways of shopping, such as e-commerce and digital services. Consumer information also needs to keep pace with developments in the markets such as liberalisation of markets (for example in energy or telecommunications).

Furthermore, new societal challenges need to be addressed – the complexity of decision making for consumers, the need to move towards more sustainable patterns of consumption, addressing the opportunities and threats of digitalisation, the increase in social exclusion and vulnerable consumers, the ageing population.

The main challenges to be addressed by the 2014-2020 programme will be the issues of safety, consumer information and education, consumer rights and effective redress as well as strengthening enforcement cross-border.

There is a need for comparable, reliable and user-friendly information for consumers, particularly cross-border; to address the issue of poor knowledge of key consumer rights by consumers and retailers alike; for robust data on how the market is serving consumers; for increased capacity of consumer organisations especially in some Member States; to improve the educational and information tools we use;

There is also a need to further strengthen consumer rights, in particular in cross-border situations, and to address problems faced by consumers when trying to secure redress, notably cross-border so that consumers are confident that their rights are well protected in any other Member State as well as at home;

For further information:

http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/strategy-programme/financial-programme/index_en.htm

Link to MEMO/14/250

Follow us on twitter @EU_Consumer