Commissioner Reynders referred extensively to the short-term measures taken by the Commission with respect to the package travel rules, to rogue traders, and to market surveillance of products placed on the EU market. He insisted on the importance of striking the right balance between consumer protection and support to economic operators, in particular in the tourism sector. On the package travel rules, the Commission was not against credit notes, ie “vouchers”, as an alternative to cash refunds
, under the condition that these are voluntary and secured against insolvency of the operators. Mr Reynders also explained how the Commission and the national consumer protection cooperation authorities (the CPC Network) have worked to protect consumers against price gouging and false claims regarding "miracle" products and the cooperation with online platforms to fight disinformation and illegal practices.
Mr Reynders stressed the importance for the Commission to work together with Member States on an exit and recovery strategy, and referred to the issued Recommendation on a common EU approach for the use of mobile data and applications in response to the coronavirus pandemic. In his concluding remarks, the Commissioner highlighted that also the forthcoming New Consumer Agenda will have to provide longer-term responses to the profound impacts that the corona crisis has had on the economies and societies of all Member States.
Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP