Vol. 467 No. 6
118 Mrs. O'Rourke asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment the aims and objectives, if any, he has in relation to consumer information and rights for consumers during Ireland's forthcoming Presidency of the EU. [13914/96]
It is the intention of the Minister with responsibility for commerce, science and technology as chair of the Consumer Council during our forthcoming Presidency, to concentrate on achieving as much progress as possible in a number of key consumer protection areas. The subjects which have been targeted as priority issues, and which the Minister feels will be of most benefit to consumers, are Consumer Access to Justice — this draft directive represents a logical and significant step in the advancement and protection of consumer rights. It has been framed in the context of the completion of the internal market and the development and proliferation of new distance selling techniques such as minitel and teleshopping, which allow products and services to move from the supplier in one member state to the consumer in another. The directive will enable injunctions to be taken against perpetrators of unlawful practices aimed at consumers in another member state. It is intended that the injunction would be sought by legally recognised consumer groups or other competent bodies in the country in which the complaint originated. At the November Council meeting the Irish Presidency will seek to progress the draft directive, and detailed work towards that work will commence immediately under the Irish Presidency.
Settlement of Consumer Disputes in the Internal Market is a Commission initiative, which takes the form of an Action Plan, when taken together with the previously mentioned draft directive on access to justice, is designed to provide consumers with an efficient and speedy avenue of redress in relation to complaints. The plan envisages a simple, efficient system, similar to our own small claims procedure, for the settlement of cross-border consumer disputes.
