Written Answers. - Euro Changeover.
Ruairí Quinn
Ceist:
98
Mr. Quinn
asked the
Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment
the steps which are planned to ensure consumers are not subjected to unjustified price increases arising form the introduction of the euro; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[17235/01]
An Action Plan 2000-2001 will protect consumers as far as possible against unwarranted price rises during the changeover to the euro, which I launched last December and which is being implemented by the Director of Consumer Affairs. The secretariat of the Euro Changeover Board of Ireland was consulted when the action plan was being prepared.
A key action under the plan relates to the dual display of prices: a special logo, to be associated with adherence to either the national code or approved, sectoral codes of practice on dual pricing, will be available from the Director of Consumer Affairs. Display of the logo means that the businesses concerned are publicly committed to carrying out the changeover fairly, without seeking any advantage from the conversion. Consumers should be able to feel confident that they will not be overcharged for goods or services where they see the logo on display. The Director of Consumer Affairs has written to over 200 trade associations, inviting them to sign up to the national code or to draw up a sectoral code of their own and seek the Director's approval for it. The Director's office is in the process of responding to close on 100 applications from potential individual subscribers to the national code. To date, nine companies and 10 trade associations have signed up to the code. In addition the Director has approved four sectoral codes, submitted to her by IBEC-EAN; the Irish Petroleum Industry Association; the Irish Branch of the Booksellers Association of Great Britain and Ireland and the Insurance Federation of Ireland. A further two proposed sectoral codes are currently under active examination by the Director.
The Deputy may be interested to know that consumers can contact the Director of Consumer Affairs with queries or complaints they may have on the euro at www.odcaeuroinfo@entemp.ie.
Going beyond commitments developed at national level, under the action plan the idea of a voluntary commitment to overall price stability appears in the joint statement adopted on 02 April 2001 by representatives of the retail trades, SMEs and consumers in the eurozone: It states:
Retailers undertake not to use the changeover to the euro to apply hidden price rises. They undertake to do their utmost to ensure the overall stability of their prices when converting them into euros and to publicise these commitments using appropriate communication tools. In order to reflect this commitment and to get the message across to consumers, they will use the European slogan "new currency, stable prices" as much as possible in all appropriate contexts.
The full text of the joint statement is included at annex 3 to the report on the preparations in the eurozone for the introduction of euro notes and coins which is attached to the Commission Communication of 03 April 2001 and which can be accessed at: www.europa.eu.int/comm/economy
finance/document/euro/com2001190/comm2001
190en.htm.
