PARALLEL TEXTS
Protezione dei consumatori e inclusione sociale...una missione impossibile in tempo di crisi?
Inglese tratto da:
http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_CES-14-19_en.htm
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Italiano tratto da:
http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_CES-14-19_it.htm
Data documento: 17-03-2014
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Consumer protection and social inclusion… mission impossible in times of crisis?
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Protezione dei consumatori e inclusione sociale...una missione impossibile in tempo di crisi?
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On 14 March 2014, the European Consumer Day made it clear:The crisis cannot be an excuse to dump consumer rights and flout the law.
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Il 14 marzo 2014, nel quadro della Giornata europea del consumatore, è stato affermato chiaramente che la crisi non può costituire un pretesto per fare carta straccia dei diritti dei consumatori e violare la legge.
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Organised by the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) and the Greek Consumer Protection Centre (KEPKA) in Thessaloniki, the conference brought together policy-makers and consumers from EU Member States to discuss how the current crisis jeopardises consumer rights.
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Al convegno, organizzato a Salonicco dal Comitato economico e sociale europeo (CESE) e dall'associazione greca per la tutela dei consumatori (KEPKA), hanno partecipato responsabili politici e consumatori degli Stati membri dell’UE per discutere di come l'attuale crisi stia mettendo a rischio i diritti dei consumatori.
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With the European Parliament elections and European Commission renewal approaching, the European Consumer Day called for action:
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In vista delle elezioni del Parlamento europeo e del rinnovo della Commissione europea, la Giornata europea del consumatore ha lanciato un appello ad agire:
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the recent financial crisis has meant consumers are grappling with social conditions that lower their purchasing power and in consequence hamper economic recovery.
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a seguito della recente crisi finanziaria, infatti, i consumatori si trovano a dover affrontare condizioni sociali che riducono il loro potere d’acquisto e quindi ostacolano la ripresa economica.
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Consumer rights cannot be marginalised.
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I diritti dei consumatori non possono perdere la loro centralità.
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Consumer protection at stake
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La protezione dei consumatori è a rischio
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The most essential sectors for consumer well-being are often the most troublesome, where costs are rising.
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I settori più importanti per il benessere dei consumatori sono spesso i più problematici e fanno registrare un aumento dei costi.
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Market liberalisation (e.g. in the energy sector, communication or financial services) has often led to increasingly powerful oligopolies and concentrated markets.
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La liberalizzazione dei mercati (ad esempio nel settore energetico, nelle comunicazioni o nei servizi finanziari) ha spesso portato alla creazione di oligopoli sempre più potenti e di mercati concentrati.
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More than ever, consumers need official support against market failure and business malpractice.
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Ora più che mai i consumatori hanno bisogno di un sostegno ufficiale contro le carenze del mercato e gli illeciti commerciali.
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“In times such as these, consumers should be at the heart of the recovery.
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"In tempi come questi, i consumatori dovrebbero essere al centro della ripresa.
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We must make sure they are not exploited and that they get the best deal possible.
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Dobbiamo garantire che non vengano sfruttati e che ottengano il migliore rapporto qualità/prezzo.
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More than this, by helping consumers we can make consumer policy a policy for economic recovery", said Neven Mimica, European Commissioner for Consumer Policy.
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Per giunta, aiutando i consumatori, possiamo far sì che la politica volta a tutelarli diventi una politica per la ripresa economica", ha dichiarato Neven Mimica, Commissario europeo responsabile della politica dei consumatori.
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Consumer rights, in crisis at a time of crisis
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I diritti dei consumatori: una crisi nella crisi
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In times of crisis consumers still have their rights. These rights are legally binding. Even a prolonged crisis cannot be used as an excuse for lack of enforcement.
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La crisi non toglie ai consumatori i loro diritti, che sono giuridicamente vincolanti, e neppure il suo protrarsi può essere usato come pretesto per non applicarli.
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The EU already has a wealth of legislation on consumer protection, but EU laws are only as effective as their implementation at national level.
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L'UE dispone già di una vasta legislazione in materia, ma l'efficacia di queste norme dipende unicamente dalla loro attuazione a livello nazionale.
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"The economic crisis, poverty and the fall in consumption it has created, together with the austerity measures imposed on many EU Member States, have undermined consumers’ rights.
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"La crisi economica, con le sue conseguenze in termini di povertà e crollo dei consumi, oltre alle misure di austerità imposte a molti Stati membri dell’UE, ha duramente colpito i diritti dei consumatori.
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Consumer protection policy is a growth driver and not a burden on the competitiveness of the European economy and it must be seen by policy makers as one of the key drivers of economic recovery in the EU” stated Evangelia Kekeleki, Secretary-General of KEPKA and EESC member.
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La politica di protezione dei consumatori è un motore della crescita e non un ostacolo per la competitività dell'economia europea: essa deve essere vista dai responsabili politici come uno dei fattori principali della ripresa economica dell'UE", ha dichiarato Evangelia Kekeleki, segretario generale del KEPKA e membro del CESE.
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Over-indebtedness and financial exclusion
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Sovraindebitamento ed esclusione finanziaria
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Before the crisis, predatory lending practices, outrageous debt collector practices, risky investment products and hidden or very complex fees were normal practice.
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Prima della crisi, era più che normale imbattersi in pratiche predatorie di concessione dei mutui, metodi scandalosi di recupero crediti, prodotti d'investimento rischiosi nonché commissioni nascoste o molto complesse.
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Since the crisis arose, consumers have been left with serious concerns about the soundness of their loans, savings and pensions.
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Con lo scoppio della crisi i consumatori sono stati lasciati a loro stessi con forti preoccupazioni circa la solidità dei loro mutui, dei loro risparmi e delle loro pensioni.
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By eroding social benefits, the crisis has enlarged the group of poor people with debt problems.
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Erodendo le prestazioni sociali, la crisi ha ampliato il gruppo di cittadini bisognosi, colpiti da problemi di indebitamento.
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“People need to learn to control their consumption.Financial education could help them to achieve proper management of their budget and to prevent over-indebtedness.
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"Le persone devono imparare a controllare i consumi, e l'educazione finanziaria potrebbe aiutarle a gestire adeguatamente il loro bilancio e a non finire in situazioni di eccessivo indebitamento.
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But fighting over-indebtedness and financial exclusion also requires responsible behaviour on the part of professionals, regarding both their products and their advertising, together with the advice and explanations they give to consumers”, said Martin Siecker, President of the INT Section at the EESC. |
Tuttavia, la lotta al sovraindebitamento e all'esclusione finanziaria richiede anche comportamenti responsabili da parte dei professionisti, riguardo sia ai prodotti che alla pubblicità, nonché ai consigli e alle spiegazioni che forniscono ai consumatori", ha dichiarato Martin Siecker, presidente della sezione INT del CESE. |
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••
Consumer protection and social inclusion… mission impossible in times of
crisis?
On 14 March 2014, the European Consumer Day made it clear:The crisis cannot
be an excuse to dump consumer rights and flout the law.
Organised by the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) and the Greek
Consumer Protection Centre (KEPKA) in Thessaloniki, the conference brought
together policy-makers and consumers from EU Member States to discuss how the
current crisis jeopardises consumer rights.
With the European Parliament elections and European Commission renewal
approaching, the European Consumer Day called for action:
the recent financial crisis has meant consumers are grappling with social
conditions that lower their purchasing power and in consequence hamper economic
recovery.
Consumer rights cannot be marginalised.
Consumer protection at stake
The most essential sectors for consumer well-being are often the most
troublesome, where costs are rising.
Market liberalisation (e.g. in the energy sector, communication or financial
services) has often led to increasingly powerful oligopolies and concentrated
markets.
More than ever, consumers need official support against market failure and
business malpractice.
"In times such as these, consumers should be at the heart of the recovery.
We must make sure they are not exploited and that they get the best deal
possible.
More than this, by helping consumers we can make consumer policy a policy for
economic recovery", said Neven Mimica, European Commissioner for Consumer
Policy.
Consumer rights, in crisis at a time of crisis
In times of crisis consumers still have their rights. These rights are
legally binding. Even a prolonged crisis cannot be used as an excuse for lack of
enforcement.
The EU already has a wealth of legislation on consumer protection, but EU
laws are only as effective as their implementation at national level.
"The economic crisis, poverty and the fall in consumption it has created,
together with the austerity measures imposed on many EU Member States, have
undermined consumers’ rights.
Consumer protection policy is a growth driver and not a burden on the
competitiveness of the European economy and it must be seen by policy makers as
one of the key drivers of economic recovery in the EU" stated Evangelia
Kekeleki, Secretary-General of KEPKA and EESC member.
Over-indebtedness and financial exclusion
Before the crisis, predatory lending practices, outrageous debt collector
practices, risky investment products and hidden or very complex fees were normal
practice.
Since the crisis arose, consumers have been left with serious concerns about
the soundness of their loans, savings and pensions.
By eroding social benefits, the crisis has enlarged the group of poor people
with debt problems.
"People need to learn to control their consumption.Financial education could
help them to achieve proper management of their budget and to prevent
over-indebtedness.
But fighting over-indebtedness and financial exclusion also requires
responsible behaviour on the part of professionals, regarding both their
products and their advertising, together with the advice and explanations they
give to consumers", said Martin Siecker, President of the INT Section at the
EESC.
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