Conferência Internacional. Que Informação para o Consumidor?
| Autor | Meglena Kuneva |
| Cargo | Comissária Europeia das Políticas do Consumidor |
Dear colleagues,
I'm very pleased by the invitation of Prof. Mário Frota, professor of Oporto University, to close your seminar on "which information for consumers?".
I heard that the universities presented in this seminar, organised in University Portucalense, are changing the landscape of higher education in Portugal with the investigation done on consumer issues and the development of consumer matters in the academic curricula.
My portfolio is entirely in harmony with the spirit of this meeting since it is also about the future and innovation. My priority as European Commissioner for Consumer Policy is to tackle the remaining obstacles to the completion of the European internal market so that consumers can enjoying the benefits of greater choice and lower prices.
I'am very pleased to hear that Portugal has fully transposed the directive on unfair commercial practices. Consumers need real choices, accurate information, transparent markets. Most of all they need to have confidence that their rights will be respected and enforced.
More information and education will certainly empower citizens to become responsible consumers.
Today, since I have the pleasure of being among very prestigious higher education institutions, I would like to share with you some thoughts on this last issue.
Consumer education is one of the priorities, identified in the Consumer strategy 2007-2013.
I imagine you would agree with the fact that both the efficient functioning of Europe's economic system and the well-being of society depend very much on consumer awareness and how consumers use their power of choice.
I imagine you also agree that consumers could be defined as people making economic and societal choices.
More than many other choices in our lives, financial choices shape our economic and social destiny.
I am, like many others, extremely concerned by the general level of financial illiteracy across Europe with very serious consequences.
I strongly believe it is our duty to help European consumers make the choices which will improve their social and financial situation, their health, and our global environment.
Education is supposed to foster independent critical thinking. Consumer education encourages us to reflect upon the choices we make and how these choices affect ourselves, other people and the environment.
Of course, key efforts in education have to be made by Member States.
We strongly encourage Member States to include Consumer education in their...
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