Parliament's unit for Science and Technology Options Assessment (STOA) mainly assesses the impact of introducing new technologies and identifies the best possible options for action, from a technological point of view. In 2012, STOA focused on eco-efficient transport, sustainable management of natural resources, security of the Internet, e-Government, cloud computing and social networks.

Representatives from DGs ENTR and SANCO gave a presentation on the proposals for a regulation on consumer product safety and a regulation on market surveillance of products. These proposals answers in many ways  the problems raised by IMCO.

 

Ms Pietikäinen is positive with the provisions aimed at strengthening the administrative cooperation, but would like to see better standardisation of customs controls at entry points into the EU internal market and would also be interested in seeing a gradual empowerment of EU institutions on market surveillance and would like to look into possibilities of using third party testing of certain products.

Ms Schaldemose is generally positive and is especially happy that the market surveillance provisions have been compiled in one legal instrument, but also see room for improvement; there is a need for a reference to the precautionary principle, vulnerable consumers need to be sufficiently protected, safety by design should be looked into and the CE-mark needs to be revised in some way. Ms Schaldemose pointed out that the country of origin marking is first and foremost a traceability measure and was generally positive towards it. Both Rapporteurs believes a pan-European injury and accident database would be a big step forward in focusing market surveillance and standardisation the right areas.

On 29 and 30 April, a delegation of 4 Members visited Vilnius (Lithuania) to establish contacts and exchange views with government representatives, National Parliament, business and consumer organisations and various stakeholders to discuss the priorities of the Lithuanian Presidency.

On 25 April, IMCO adopted the INI draft Report "A new agenda for European Consumer Policy" with 34 votes in favour, 2 against and no abstention. All the 19 compromise amendments were adopted. 9 oral amendments were tabled by the Rapporteur to insert titles to structure the report. The main themes of the report include, amongst others: Educating consumers, educating enterprises, e-commerce and consumers with disabilities, financial services, mortgage, economic crisis, protection of vulnerable groups, passenger's rights, representation of consumers in management boards, ADR and ODR, collective redress, and sustainable consumption and competitive prices.