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March 2008 Headline Story President Barroso supports Mrs Kuneva’s plea for empowered consumers President Barroso supports Mrs Kuneva’s plea for empowered consumers______1 consumers. Such failure could be due to a lack of competition, distortion of consumer choice, lack of transparent and complete information, poor regulation, Top stories or a combination of some or all of these. Price differences not only occur European Consumer Day 2008 - A Year of between member states, but also within Change ______2 member states. Sometimes they reflect José Manuel Barroso, President of the European differences in cost, e.g. for transport Commission and distribution. Sometimes they reflect Open Alcohol Forum – Conference On the occasion of European Consumer Announcement______2 differences in consumer preferences. Day, the President of the European But—and this is the point where we Commission, José Manuel Barroso, need to look deeper—sometimes they New Health Commissioner: Mrs Adroulla and Consumer Commissioner, Meglena reflect unjustified obstacles within the Vassiliou ______3 Kuneva, co-authored an article on the single market, for example as a result of EU’s efforts to empower consumers in red tape. This is where we need to act Europe, which is a key step towards because EU citizens should not be hit EU Bans on sale of non-child resistant and growth, jobs and prosperity for all. novelty cigarette lighters ______3 in the pocket by such obstacles. John F. Kennedy once said “Consumers, Another interesting finding is that in ‘Better Training for Safer Food’ gets underway by definition, include us all yet they are 2006, some 27% of EU consumers for 2008______3 the only important group whose views made on-line purchases but only 6% are often not heard.” The European bought from outside their home country. Commission is working hard to change This indicates a lack of confidence, as Commission Proposal for clearer and more modern rules for feed and pet food that. Consumers deserve transparent people do not know their rights in other labelling______4 and competitive prices, clear informa- countries or trust they will be able to tion and robust protection against faulty enforce them. This can be detrimental and unsafe goods. And Europe can help to both consumers and businesses and Harmonizing procedures for published deliver these things. needs to be addressed. information in the veterinary and zootechnical fields______4 We must empower consumers so that The Market Watch initiative is about they can use more effectively their opening eyes so that consumers can strongest weapon: the power of com- become a stronger force in the econo- parison and choice. That’s why the my. That will be good for consumers. In brief Commission has set up a new sys- It will be good for those businesses tem—the European Consumer Market that are offering the best products and New health Programme 2008-2013: the 2008 Watch—to investigate whether various services at the best prices. It will be workplan and calls for proposals______2 sectors of the economy are delivering good for Europe’s ability to compete in the information, choice and value for a global age. money consumers deserve. Revision of risk assessment methods for For the full article, please view: nanomaterials in cosmetics______4 http://ec.europa.eu/commission_barroso/ The new system is designed to identify president/pdf/article_080315_en.pdf if and why markets may be failing

ISSN 1830-7051 In brief European Consumer Day 2008 - A Year of Change

EUROPEAN COMMISSION Health Programme This year’s European Consumer Day 2008-2013 (15 March) was celebrated with a series Together for Health of events across Europe. On 10 March, the Consumer Commissioner, , presented the first ever EU Consumer Champion award to a Finnish New health Programme consumer campaign at a ceremony in 2008-2013: the 2008 workplan Brussels. On 14 March, she delivered and calls for proposals a keynote speech at a conference of the European Economic and Social The first work plan for the imple- Committee, setting out the changes that mentation of the second programme are shaping Europe, where business and of Community action in the field of consumers together should be driving health (2008-2013) was published on the economy. Meglena Kuneva, Consumer Commissioner 29 February. The work plan sets out for 2008 the priority areas and cri- The Commissioner’s priorities are teria for funding actions under the threefold: to ensure consumers are Ireland received the ‘best financial Programme for a total of € 46.6 mil- informed, that they enjoy the same campaign’ for the high profile promotion lion. At the same time the Commis- rights wherever they are in Europe and of a personal finance website. sion announced the calls for propos- that there is no compromise on safety. als for projects, operating grants Well informed proactive consumers, The ‘Best children’s prize’ went to and conferences as well as invita- are critical determinants of healthy Hungary, for a national drawing tions for joint actions in the field of markets driving growth and prosperity. competition for primary schools. In public health, for which an Informa- addition special merit prizes went to tion Day was held in Luxemburg on th th The top prize for the EU Consumer Norway for its ‘iTunes’ campaign and 12 and 17 of March. Champion award went to Finland for to Estonia for the ‘Make Responsible A call for expression of interest was a dynamic web-game designed to teach Credit Decisions’ campaign. published on 9 February to establish young consumers about their rights a list of experts for support activities and responsibilities as online shoppers. The winning campaigns were those in connection with the second health Ireland, UK, Hungary, Estonia and that best reflected the message that programme. These activities involve Norway also received special category consumers should ‘know their rights reviewing project proposals submitted awards for campaigns which promoted and use their rights’ in their daily under annual calls for proposals, moni- consumer rights in an innovative and transactions. toring and evaluating funded projects, effective way. and other tasks related to the imple- mentation of the Programme. The UK campaign won ‘most original’ For further information, please view: http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/index_ For further information, please visit: prize with its ‘ Consumer Challenge en.htm http://ec.europa.eu/phea/index_en.html Quiz’, to help young people with learning disabilities to become better informed.

Open Alcohol Forum – Conference Announcement of alcohol-related harm may participate in the Forum. On 17 April, in the framework of the Eu- port Member States in reducing alcohol- For further information, please view: ropean Alcohol and Health forum, the related harm. http://ec.europa.eu/health/ph_determinants/ Commission will organise an ‘Open Fo- The ‘Open Forum’ will provide a platform life_style/alcohol/Forum/alcohol_forum_ en.htm rum’ in Brussels. The European Alcohol for general exchange of information and Previous registration is required by email at and Health Forum was established by the discussion with a broad range of interested the following address: Commission as one of the cornerstones of parties. All organisations and individuals SANCO-C4-Health-DETERMINANTS@ the EU communication strategies to sup- with a particular interest in the reduction ec.europa.eu

2 Health & Consumer Voice New Health Commissioner: Mrs

Following the departure of Mr Markos In 2002, she was appointed Chairperson Kyprianou at the end of February, the of the Board of Trustees of the President of the European Commission, Oncology Centre, a non profit making Mr José Manuel Barroso, accepted the institution offering a wide range of nomination by the Republic of Cyprus treatment to cancer patients, from which of Mrs Androulla Vassiliou as the new post she resigned upon her nomination Commissioner for Health. as EU Commissioner.

Mrs Vassiliou began her career as a Following the procedures for nomi- lawyer and was elected as Member Androulla Vassiliou, Commissioner for Health nation of a new Commissioner, of the House of Representatives of Mrs Androulla Vassiliou was heard by Cyprus for two terms (1996-2001 and to the Convention of the Future of the on 1 April. 2001-2006). She served on the European Europe (2001-2003). In addition she was Affairs Committee and on the Joint Vice-President of the European Liberal For further information, please visit: Parliamentary Committee for Cyprus. Democrats and Reform Party (ELDR, http://ec.europa.eu/health/dyna/press_ Mrs Vassiliou was also an Alternative 2001-2006) and as such chairperson of rel/ph_press_en.cfm Representative of the Cyprus Parliament the European Liberal Women’s Network.

EU Bans on sale of non-child resistant and ‘Better Training for Safer Food’ gets underway for 2008 novelty cigarette lighters EU-based activities within the ‘Bet- ter Training for Safer Food’ initiative On 11 March, the Commission Decision for 2008 will begin with a workshop banning the sale of non-child resistant and in Stratford-upon-Avon in the UK be- novelty lighters to consumers entered into tween 21 and 25 April. Fifteen training force. The Decision was adopted following programmes will run in 2008, on vari- a positive opinion of Member States repre- ous subjects, both in the EU and third sented within the General Product Safety countries, training 4,000 participants Directive (GPSD) Committee. This measure over 120 workshops. Further EU-based enhances consumer safety, requiring that programmes cover plant health, food cigarette lighters which are dangerous for hygiene, BSE and similar diseases, ani- children can no longer be sold to consu- mal by-products, animal welfare, zoon- mers in the EU. oses and plant protection products. Third country activities for 2008 began The placement on the market and in February with a training session in importing of such lighters was already Bangkok on the Trade Control and Ex- forbidden since 11 March 2007, giving pert System (TRACES) risk manage- industry a year to comply with the rules. ment system. This improves procedures The Decision requires the Governments for imports of animals via the electronic of the Member States to ensure that coming into force of this measure which exchange of import documents and other common cigarette lighters placed on the will foster consumers’, and in particular information. EU market are child-resistant thanks to a children’s, safety in Europe. Cigarette simple and very cheap system that makes lighters are consumer products which TRACES training, is part of a programme them much harder to light. Furthermore, pose a serious risk when misused by also including the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF). Other third- it forbids the placing on the market of children. In particular for disposable country programmes cover food testing, lighters which resemble objects that are lighters as children may play with them EU food standards and Highly Pathogen- attractive to children (also known as and accidentally cause fires, serious ic Avian Influenza control. ‘novelty lighters’), for example because injuries and deaths. they resemble little toys. For further information, please visit: For further information, please visit: http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/index_ Commissioner for Consumer Protec- http://ec.europa.eu/food/training_strategy/ en.htm tion, Meglena Kuneva, welcomed the index_en.htm

3 Commission Proposal for clearer and In brief more modern rules for feed and pet food labelling

General provisions are set out for the labelling of all feed, such as the need to indicate the type of feed, the name and address of the operator, list of additives and the net weight. In addition, in the case of ‘dietetic’ feed, all claims must be properly substantiated.

With regard to pet food, the require- ments do not include the same level Revision of risk assessment On 4 March, the Commission adopted of detail as needed by farmers on the methods for nanomaterials in a proposal for a Regulation aimed at composition of feed. Labels in this cosmetics simplifying the existing procedures for case must carry a telephone number labelling and marketing of feed and pet that customers can call if they wish On 3 March, the Scientific Commit- food, contributing to making the system to receive further information on the tee on Consumer Products (SCCP) more efficient and maintaining the high contents. concluded that, in order to assess the level of protection for animal health potential risk of insoluble and/or bi- and welfare as well as public health. The freedom of the feed industry to opersistent nanomaterials used in cos- Modernised rules will also benefit the innovate will be boosted by these metics, new risk-assessment methods EU livestock sector, helping to promote changes, affecting a market of roughly are needed or existing ones have to be its competitiveness. € 50 billion in the EU. The 62 million improved. pet owning households in the EU, will be The Committee considers that the cur- The proposal aims to reduce the bu- in a better position to evaluate the content rent risk assessment methodologies are reaucracy for feed operators, removing of the food they buy for their pets. adequate for soluble nanoparticles but the very detailed and inflexible labelling not for insoluble and/or biopersistent requirements which have become un- For further information, please view: ones. For those contained in cosmetics, necessary since the implementation http://ec.europa.eu/food/food/ it believes that the assessment should be of the integrated food safety approach animalnutrition/labelling/index_en.htm carried out on a case-by-case basis tak- - ‘farm to fork’. ing into account the specific properties regarding particle size, number and sur- face characteristics. Harmonizing procedures for centres, dealers, semen collection cen- The SCCP notes that it is primarily the published information in the tres etc), breeding organisations in Mem- insoluble particles that raise health con- veterinary and zootechnical fields ber States and third countries, and certain cerns, related to the possible uptake laboratories. through the skin. The Commission adopted a proposal The aim of the Commission’s proposal is for a Council Directive that harmonizes to establish a rational method for listing For further information, please visit: and simplifies the current procedures these establishments to facilitate veteri- http://ec.europa.eu/health/ph_risk/ laid down in 21 Council acts for listing, nary checks, improve administrative man- committees/04_sccp/04_sccp_en.htm updating and publishing information in agement of the lists in Member States and the veterinary and zootechnical fields. third countries and provide information to The simplified approach will reduce the the public. workload and administrative burdens The views expressed in Health & Consumer Voice do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the European for the competent authorities in the The proposal is an example of the Commission. Member States, the farming industry, Commission’s ‘Better Regulation’ Policy. © European Community, 2008. Reproduction of articles (excluding photo- trade operators and the Commission graphs) is authorised, except for commercial purposes, provided that the source is mentioned. itself. Chief Editor: Marie-Paule Benassi. Editors: Gaja Pellegrini-Bettoli, Mary Heneghan, in cooperation with the The lists include items such as approved For further information, please visit: EC Health and Consumer Protection DG. animal health establishments (assembly http://ec.europa.eu/food/animal/index_en.htm Layout: Qwentes.be Email: [email protected] http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/health_consumer/index_en.htm

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