| EU CONFERENCE – Consumers from established EU networks are invited to attend what DG SANCO is calling the “First ever European Consumer Summit”. Following the Commission’s report on cross-border e-commerce in the EU, the subject of the 2 day conference on 1-2 April 2009 is the Digital Market place. |
“CONSUMER TRUST IN THE DIGITAL MARKET PLACE” (1-2 APRIL)
This is the title of the “first ever EU Consumer Summit will be held in Brussels, bringing together over 250 high level stakeholders from industry, consumer organisations, EU and national institutions and NGOs to discuss the challenges and opportunities for consumers in the Digital World. Consumer Commissioner Meglena Kuneva will host the event and give a keynote speech.”
ECRC encourages its members to attend, though is sceptical of the messages from the Commissioner’s website that promises the presence of a variety of stakeholders representing consumer interests other than the established networks. Below is the programme and link to the conference website. Among the Consumer summit documents is the recently released Report on cross-border e-commerce in the EU (Commission staff working document, 5.3.2009 attached below):
“While e-commerce is taking off at national level, it is still relatively uncommon for consumers to use the internet to purchase goods or services in another Member State. The gap between domestic and cross-border e-commerce is widening as a result of cross-border barriers to online trade.”
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THE BACKGROUND:
The theme of this first Consumer Summit is Consumers in the Digital World, which will cover such issues as online access to other markets, privacy, geographical restrictions and online consumer rights. The Summit will also be a chance for participants to discuss how consumers can be best served in the current economic climate, as well as an opportunity to look at upcoming "hot topics" in consumer policy and core consumer issues such as airlines, toy safety and consumer redress.
Registration through the spokesperson's office before Friday 27 March is compulsory. Please see link below or contact Helen Kearns, +32 2 298 7638, helen.kearns@ec.europa.eu .
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Dear Visitors,
I am very proud to be hosting the first ever EU Consumer Summit in Brussels on 1 and 2 April 2009. This special event will bring together over 250 stakeholders from all over Europe, to look at the challenges and opportunities facing today's consumer, with a special focus on the digital world. There will be a wide variety of high-level participants from industry, consumer organisations, national administrations, EU institutions and NGOs – as well as many "ordinary" consumers from across Europe – so I am looking forward to lively and interesting discussions.
On this webpage, you will find the latest information on the Consumer Summit in the run-up to the event, and the key documents, speeches and photos from the Summit will be posted here afterwards.
Meglena Kuneva
EU Consumer Commissioner
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EUROPEAN CONSUMER SUMMIT 2009 - PROGRAMME
The purpose of the European Consumer Summit is to review the challenges and the opportunities of the digital environment - for consumers, for consumer advocates and for consumer policy makers. The outcome of the discussions, workshops and panels will complete our view on these challenges and opportunities and will serve to inform reflections on future policy making, to create synergies between advocates and stakeholders and to alert and inform consumers themselves on issues of concern to them in this environment.
Day 1: Wednesday, 1 April
PRE-EVENT WITH CONSUMERS
(in Charlemagne's building rue de la Loi, 170 - 1040 – Brussels)
The purpose of the pre-event is to gather European citizens' views and concerns as consumers operating in the digital world. The discussion will focus around three areas: i) The digital environment/marketplace, ii) Consumer advocacy/empowerment, iii) The main challenges of the digital environment for consumer policy for the next five years. Participants in the pre-event are invited to fill a short questionnaire to contribute to the preparation of the discussion. There will be a full interpretation regime (also webstreamed) for 22 languages and all are welcome. Plenary session "Listening to Europe's Consumers" with Commissioner Kuneva
COMMISSIONER KUNEVA'S MEETING WITH CONSUMER NETWORKS
(in Autoworld – Parc du Cinquantenaire, 11 - 1000 – Brussels)
This meeting (by invitation only) offers a unique opportunity to bring together the main EU Consumer networks from all Member States to exchange best practice, to develop synergies and to examine together the challenges and opportunities for consumer policy for the next five years. The outcome of the discussion will inform policy reflections for the future. Commissioner Kuneva meets EU Consumer Networks:
CPN: Consumer Policy Network; ECC: European Consumer Centres; CPC: Consumer Enforcement Network; ECCG: European Consumer Consultative Group
SUMMIT WORKSHOPS
(in Autoworld – Parc du Cinquantenaire, 11 - 1000 – Brussels)
POLICY WORKSHOP 1 - Consumer challenges and opportunities in the digital world (to discuss with consumer advocates, digital experts, business and consumers themselves, current risks and opportunities for consumers in the digital environment with a view to formulating the most appropriate response to emerging issues). Chair : Ms Jacqueline Minor, Director, European Commission, DG Health and Consumers, Consumer affairs. Rapporteur to the panel : Ms Emilie Barrau, Legal Officer, BEUC (European Consumers' Association)
Discussions will focus on:
• Consumers in the Digital Environment (application and enforcement of the regulatory framework)
• New Challenges Online (Targeting and profiling, online data collection, changing consumer attitudes online)
• Consumer awareness, trust, knowledge of (legal) rights
POLICY WORKSHOP 2 - CONSUMER ADVOCACY (to discuss weaknesses, strengths and best practices on how the consumer movement adapts to the digital world. The workshop will be an opportunity to share good practices among consumer NGOs towards enhancing capacity building. Results of the pre-event meetings will feed into the workshops). Chair : Ms Anne Troye, European Commission DG Information Society. Rapporteur to the panel : Ms Willemien Bax, Deputy Director General, BEUC (European Consumers' Association).
Discussions led by consumer associations will focus on: Looking at how consumer organisations adapt to the digital world, in particular their relationships with consumers, and their campaigning activities.
Speakers:
• Mr Cédric Musso, (invited) Deputy Director General for Studies and Communication, from the French Consumer organisation UFC-Que Choisir to share his organisation’s experience on internet campaigning
• Ms Breda Kutin – President, Slovene Consumers Association to share her organisation's experiences, in particular recent campaigns as well as internet services offered to consumers.
Day 2: Thursday, 2 April
SUMMIT PLENARY
(in Autoworld – Parc du Cinquantenaire, 11 - 1000 – Brussels)
Panel discussion 1 on DIGITAL ISSUES – feedback from the policy workshop 1 on Consumer challenges and opportunities in the digital world. This panel will focus on future digital challenges including data collection online and targeting and profiling. Chair : Mr John Bell, Head of Commissioner Kuneva’s Cabinet. Rapporteur from the workshop :Ms Emilie Barrau, Legal Officer, BEUC
Panelists:
- Ms Anne Fielder, Title, Consumer Focus UK
- Bertelsmann Representative (invited)
- Mr Alain Heureux, President, Interactive Advertising Bureau Europe
- Mr Leslie Harris , President of the Center for Democracy and Technology (USA)
- Nasza Klasa representative (invited)
Panel discussion 2 on CONSUMER ADVOCACY – feedback from policy workshop 2 on consumer advocacy. Panellists will be invited to react to the workshop outcome, sharing their own experiences. The panel is an opportunity to learn from others on their use of ICTs.
Chair : a Member of the European Parliament (invited). Rapporteur from the workshop: Ms Willemien Bax, Deputy Director General, BEUC.
Panelists:
- Mr Wim Vanryckeghem, Head of Test Achats Internet Department
- Mr José Ribeiro: Director General, Consumer Directorate-General at the Ministry of Economy & Innovation, Portugal
- European Brand Association (AIM)
15.30-16.00 Close of the summit by Commissioner Kuneva |
| ID: |
42555 |
| Author(s): |
iff |
| Publication date: |
16/03/09 |
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Created: 16/03/09. Last changed: 16/03/09.
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