On April 10th and 11th, 2025, Ecu members’ meeting took place in Rome. The event, during which the new leadership was elected, offered the member Associations of the network the opportunity to discuss and exchange views on the future of the Organization as well as the critical issues facing consumerism at the European level
Nelle giornate del 10 e dell’11 aprile 2025 si è svolta a Roma l’Assemblea dei Soci di ECU. L’evento, nel corso del quale sono state elette le nuove cariche, ha offerto alle Associazioni che compongono il network l’occasione di discutere e confrontarsi sul futuro dell’Organizzazione nonché sulle criticità del mondo del consumerismo a livello europeo.
On the occasion of the French Presidency of the European Union, Sergio Veroli, as President of ECU, has signed an interpellation to President Emmanuel Macron inviting him to provide the network of consumer associations in Europe with the means to operate.
The European Commission, the Parliament and the Council have been working for months on the “New Deal for Customers”, as well as on the Digital Markets Act and the Digital Services Act, focusing on the digitization of consumer relationships and on the necessary legislative and administrative adaptations that follow. Digital exclusion is still widespread in EU and it’s due above all to the lack of adequate equipment and knowledge about digital tools and difficulty in using the resulting information. In this field Consumer Association have an essential role. Furthermore, inflation in Europe force millions of
citizens to buy only low-quality products, with all the health, social and
environmental disasters that this will inevitably generate in the short and medium term.
The European minimum wage is a first step, a base beyond which it will be necessary, for all the
Consumer Associations of the EU, to build sustainable means of operation. We need concrete actions in this direction and we ask to President Macron to listen to our expectations, for the benefit of several million European consumers.
On 2019 the European Parliament and the Council approved the Unfair Trading Practices Directive, which innovates the regulation about trading practice in Europe. Only some members States have already studied innovative solutions to protect agri-food suppliers and others States are late on this theme. Recently, some Civil Society Organizations have signed up a declaration which aims to urge defaulting members to traspose the Directive within May 1st 2021.
Also the polish Association FUNDACJA KUPUJ ODPOWIEDZIALNIE, which is an ECU member, signed up the declaration.
Click here to download the document
Click here to download the Unfair Trading Practices Directive
Sustainable Development Goals: the Inter-Institutional Group promoted by civic organizations for an inclusive and sustainable Europe is born. Today the launch event!
Civil society organizations, together with European Institutions to contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): this is the main message of the new political initiative that will be launched at the European level, tomorrow, the 16th February, in the occasion of the conference “Making sustainability an easy choice for EU citizens”.
Promoted by Cittadinanzattiva – through its European branch Active Citizenship Network (ACN) – by the European Consumers Union association (ECU) and by the Italian Alliance for Sustainable Development (ASviS), the Inter-Institutional Group “SDG’s for well-being and consumers’ protection” is currently supported by eight Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) from different countries and political groups: Nikos Androulakis (Greece – S&D); Tanja Fajon (Slovenia – S&D); Jose Gusmão (Portugal – GUE/NGL); Aldo Patriciello (Italy – EPP); Sabrina Pignedoli (Italy – NI); Giuliano Pisapia (Italy – S&D); Marcos Ros Sempere (Spain – S&D); Patrizia Toia (Italy – S&D).
Representatives of the European Commission and the European Economic and Social Committee will also participate in the conference, underlining the interest in the initiative.
The Inter-Institutional Group was born from the desire of civil society to contribute to the SDGs and the Green New Deal, convinced that the empowerment of citizens and consumers should be the pillar of the transition towards a more inclusive and sustainable Europe. In concrete terms, it intends to provide its contribution by aiming to be a catalyst for sensitivities that come from civil society, companies, research, media, etc. On a national and European level: it is a facilitator in the dialogue between European institutions and stakeholders active in specific sectors; an incubator of good practices, to facilitate the process of exchange, conveying and dissemination of the best practices that prove as useful in guiding EU companies and citizens towards making sustainable choices.
The initiative is also supported by 47 national and European associations – representing 24 European nations, and 2 non-EU nations – united in the “SDGs Stakeholder Network.”
“This initiative is for us a concrete example of the thematic Citizens’ Agora encouraged by the Resolution of the European Parliament of 15 January 2020. Our intention is that this Inter-Institutional Group, as expressly indicated in the founding Manifest, is open to all members of EU institutions interested in collaborating with citizens and their organizations to make Europe a global point of reference in the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. Furthermore, we would like this Group to support public and private actors, involved in the implementation of consumer policies, so that they can contribute to the achievement of the SDGs. The sponsoring associations began working on the initiative well before the European elections of May 2019, with the desire to help guide consumer policies, and with this, the varied consumerist movement, to achieve the goals set by the 2030 Agenda,” as Anna Lisa Mandorino, deputy general secretary of Cittadinanzattiva, stated.
“The demand for public and private choices in favor of sustainable development has never been stronger; the crisis made clear the profound interactions between the environmental, social, economic and institutional dimensions of our world, that is to say, the four pillars of the 2030 Agenda. The European Union has shown the way forward and the Member States must be protagonists of this transformation to reap its benefits. Europe in 2030 can be much better off than what we had a year ago. Vision, courage, innovation, persistence and participation are essential to achieve a more sustainable Europe and the wealth of knowledge and civic commitment of the member organizations of the interinstitutional group are available to European institutions to make the best possible choices, “leaving no one behind”, commented ASviS President Pierluigi Stefanini.
“2020 was probably the worst year humanity has known since the end of the Second World War, but the green turning point announced by Ursula von der Leyen represents a fundamental choice for the EU. This new policy, however, will require the joint action of the state, public sectors, consumer associations, trade unions and citizens. It will demand what a sociologist has called a “concertation governance.” It will have to face not only lobbies and corporatism but also apathy and indifference. It will have to call for an “awakening” of the citizen that should take place with the awareness of the vital problems at stake. For these reasons, we have chosen to organize this initiative, and the ECU shall dedicate its commitment and resources to determine shared choices with companies, and with representatives of institutions, in favor of the sustainable development of society” stated Sergio Veroli, President of ECU.
The manifesto of the Inter-Institutional Group and more information on the initiative are available on the website: http://interestgroupsdgs.eu
Cittadinanzattiva APS – Press Office
Alessandro Cossu: (+39) 348 334 7608
Aurora Avenoso: (+39) 348 334 7603
[email protected]
February 16th, 2021 from 10:00 to 12:00
Just after the 2019 European elections, Active Citizenship Network (ACN), the EU branch of the NGO Cittadinanzattiva, the European umbrella association European Consumers Union (ECU) and the coalition Italian Alliance for Sustainable Development (ASviS) decided to promote a political initiative that aims to create the informal Inter-institutional Group “SDGs for well-being and consumers’ protection”.
The Inter-Institutional Group represents the desire of the civil society to contribute to the SDGs and the Green New Deal, aiming to discuss and raise awareness on how the individual, as a consumer, can give her/his contribution. In fact, we strongly believe that citizen and consumer empowerment should be the pillar of the transition towards a more inclusive and sustainable Europe.
The group is opened to the members of the EU Institutions that wish to work together with the civil society to ensure that Europe will be a global leader in the development and implementation of the SDGs.
The Inter-institutional Group aims to be a:
Awareness rising catalyst across Europe for civil society, business, research, media,etc. at local, national and European level.
Dialogue facilitator between the European institutions and stakeholders active in specific fields.
Incubator of good practices in order to facilitate the process of exchange, contamination and dissemination of best practices to enable EU citizens to make sustainable choices.
The Inter-institutional Group “SDGs for well-being and consumers’ protection” will be presented during the digital conference “Makingsustainability an easy choice for EU citizens” that will be held on February 16th, 2021 from 10:00 to 12:00.
To the event will partecipate also ECU President Sergio Veroli and ECU Secretary General Mariano Votta.
Read more on the Inter-institutional Group website
Food safety is a top priority for the European Commission. The central goal is to assure a high level of protection of human health through safe products by the food industry – the Europe’s largest manufacturing and employment sector. The EU-funded FOODSAFETY4EU project will design, develop and release a multi-stakeholder platform for the future European Food Safety System (FSS). The platform aims to establish a network of FSS actors at national, European and international level. It will enable them to access resources and data efficiently, synchronise food safety research strategies, share and exchange scientific knowledge and contribute to transparent communication regarding the FSS. The FOODSAFETY4EU platform will maximise cooperation within the system and with the civil society boosting the co-creation of strategies and their translation into policies and funding programmes.
The multi annual project “FoodSafety4EU” is officially started on Jan 1, 2021. The main goal of the project is to start planning integrated actions to put the basis for building together the platform for the Food Safety System of the future in Europe. The goal will be reached through a participatory process by a network of 23 partners (Food Safety Authorities, expert in food safety research, social innovation and communication, ICT company, industry and consumer associations) interacting with the 44 project’s stakeholders, named “Supporting Partners”. ECU is one of the “Supporting Partners” and has been invited for the “FoodSafety4EU Supporting Partners Meeting” during the Kick-Off Meeting on 29 January 2021.
On friday 29 january 2021 took place ECU General Assembly.
Sergio Veroli (ECU President), Mariano Votta (ECU Secretary General) and Alessandro Mostaccio (Member of the European Economic and Social Committee) partecipated at the meeting. Moreover, Maurizio Serpieri (European Commission DG Consumer and Justice) explained the new European Consumers’ Agenda. The programme included also a discussion with ECU members and the approval of the economic balance, which was illustrated by ECU accountant, Luca Di Maio.
Download
Speech President Sergio Veroli
Speech Secretary General Mariano Votta
Speech Alessandro Mostaccio (Movimento Consumatori Secretary General)
Photogallery
29 january 2021
Link for the connection: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85775267411?pwd=VnkrSCtOSFNqTkdmeU5YUVFkNm1Bdz09
ID: 857 7526 7411
Passcode: 615787
Programme
Welcome address and keynote presentation
• 10:00 – 10:10: Sergio Veroli, ECU President
Overview on the new European Consumers’ Agenda
• 10:10 – 10:40: Massimo Serpieri, Deputy Head of Unit – European Commission DG Justice & Consumers – Unit E1 – Consumer Policy
• 10:40 – 11:00: Q&A
ECU activities and achievements
• 11:00 – 11:20: Mariano Votta, ECU Secretary General
• 11:20 – 11:40: Alessandro Mostaccio, Member of the European Economic and Social Committee
Discussion with ECU members
• 11:40 – 12:10: Space dedicated to associations
Approval of the economic balance
• 12:10 – 12:25: Luca Di Maio, ECU Accountant
• 12:26 – 12:35: Q&A
Conclusions
• 12:35 – 12:40: Mariano Votta, ECU Secretary General
In March 2020, ECU become official stakeholder of the BIOnTOP project, thanks to its Italian member Movimento Consumatori. This project aims at delivering bio-based recyclable-by-design cost competitive packaging solutions that can be mechanically recycled, industrially or home compostable, or suitable for anaerobic digestion. Leading experts from 21 organisations based in 8 European countries form the project consortium.
This project has received funding from the Bio Based Industries Joint Undertaking under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 837761”
Read more on https://biontop.eu/
Tlačová správa (Stará Ľubovňa, 01.09.2020)
Asociácia spotrebiteľkých subjektov Slovenska ukončila dvojročný projekt vzdelávania, ktorý vznikol ako spoločný program európskych spotrebiteľských organizácií z Grécka, Talianska, Českej republiky a Slovenska a reaguje na problémy nezamestnanosti mladých ľudí v krajinách Európskej únie. Štatistické údaje potvrdzujú, že k 31.01.2019 bolo na Slovensku evidovaných 41 204 nezamestnaných do 29 rokov, z nich jedna tretina mala len základné a nižšie stredné vzdelanie.
Inovačný program zväčšuje ponuku vzdelávania pre nezamestnaných do 29 rokov s nízkou úrovňou zručností alebo nízkou kvalifikáciou a výmenou skúsenosti podporuje rozvoj odbornosti vzdelávateľov.
Program spotrebiteľského vzdelávania začal výskumom vzdelávacích potrieb nezamestnaných a na tomto základe vytvoril prípadové štúdie z každodenného života spotrebiteľov. Ku prípadovým štúdiám bola vytvorená metodika s cieľom podporiť rozvoj spoločenských a občianskych kompetencií a rozvoj komunikácie v materinskom jazyku. Inovatívny program bol doplnený o inovatívne nástroje na meranie rozvoja kľúčových kompetencií.
Program spotrebiteľského vzdelávania bol overený na vzorke nezamestnaných do 29 rokov vo všetkých krajinách partnerov projektu. Závery z overovania potvrdzujú, že obsah a metodika vzdelávania podporujú záujem nezamestnaných ďalej sa vzdelávať a rozvíjať kľúčové kompetencie potrebné pre celoživotné vzdelávanie a uplatnenie na trhu práce.
Vzbudenie záujmu nezamestnaných o vzdelávanie naznačuje možnosti ako pomôcť nezamestnaným s nízkou úrovňou zručností alebo nízkou kvalifikáciou pri hľadaní uplatnenia v spoločnosti a na trhu práce. Súčasná podpora riešenia nezamestnanosti mladých ľudí zvýhodňuje prípravu nezamestnaných pre konkrétne pozície na trhu práce. V súčasnej vzdelanostne orientovanej ekonomike by sme očakávali, že štát podporuje aj programy ďalšieho vzdelávania nezamestnaných, aby si rozvíjali kľúčové kompetencie potrebné pre celoživotné vzdelávanie a využili ich pri hľadaní a uplatnení na trhu práce.
Božena Stašenková, koordinátorka projektu ERASMUS+
Η μετάβαση στην ανεργία δεν αποτελεί μια ευχάριστη εμπειρία ζωής. Ακόμα πιο δυσάρεστη εμπειρία είναι η παραμονή σε αυτή τη θέση για πολλά χρόνια. Η εύρεση κάποιας θέσης στην αγορά εργασίας μπορεί να επιτευχθεί με ιδιαίτερη επιτυχία για όσους ξέρουν πώς να επιλέξουν με βάση την τρέχουσα προσφορά, διαθέτουν εκπαίδευση και προσόντα. Τι γίνεται όμως με τους άνεργους που στερούνται εκπαίδευσης και προσόντων;
Ξεκινήσαμε το έργο τον Οκτώβριο του 2018 με στόχο την υποστήριξη της εκπαίδευσης των ανέργων ηλικίας κάτω των 29 ετών. Σύμφωνα με την Ελληνική Στατιστική Υπηρεσία μέχρι τις 31.12.2018 στην Ελλάδα είχαν καταχωρηθεί 231.215 ενήλικες άνεργοι ηλικίας μέχρι 29 ετών, 25.519 εκ των οποίων είχαν ολοκληρώσει την πρωτοβάθμια και δευτεροβάθμια εκπαίδευση, γεγονός που σημαίνει ότι 11,03% των ενήλικων ανέργων ηλικίας μέχρι 29 ετών είχαν ολοκληρώσει την πρωτοβάθμια και κατώτερη δευτεροβάθμια εκπαίδευση.
Η πολυετής εμπειρία στον τομέα της εκπαίδευσης των καταναλωτών μας έχει δείξει ότι η εκπαίδευση των καταναλωτών ως διατομεακή επιμόρφωση στα χρηματοοικονομικά, στα μέσα ενημέρωσης, στην περιβαλλοντική και νομική εκπαίδευση, είναι χρήσιμη για όλες τις ηλικιακές ομάδες επειδή βασίζεται στην πραγματική ζωή και έχει άμεση εφαρμογή στην καθημερινή ζωή. Αναπτύξαμε αυτήν την ιδέα μέσω ενός διεθνούς προγράμματος με συνεργαζόμενους οργανισμούς στην Ιταλία, στην Ελλάδα, στην Τσεχική Δημοκρατία και τη Σλοβακία. Μέσα σε διάρκεια δύο ετών, εντοπίσαμε τις εκπαιδευτικές ανάγκες των ανέργων, δημιουργήσαμε περιπτωσιολογικές μελέτες από την καθημερινή ζωή των καταναλωτών και προτείναμε μια στρατηγική για την ανάπτυξη και την αξιολόγηση της ανάπτυξης των Βασικών Ικανοτήτων.
Παρά τα προβλήματα που προκάλεσε η πανδημία, δοκιμάσαμε μεμονωμένα κομμάτια του εκπαιδευτικού προγράμματος σε κάθε χώρα. Μελέτες περίπτωσης από τη σύγχρονη ζωή, υποστηρίζουν την προθυμία των ανέργων να μάθουν και να προσπαθούν σε διάφορους τομείς, να επιλύουν εργασίες και προβλήματα, να συνεργάζονται, να επικοινωνούν και να εφαρμόζουν ό,τι έχουν μάθει, σε καταστάσεις στην καθημερινή ζωή. Οι άνεργοι εκδήλωσαν ενδιαφέρον να συμμετάσχουν σε περαιτέρω εκπαίδευση και εξέφρασαν ότι αυτή η μορφή εκπαίδευσης τους βοηθά να εκφράζουν τις ιδέες τους πιο αποτελεσματικά, να επικοινωνήσουν και να παρουσιάζουν τη δικές τους συμπεριφορές. Οι συζητήσεις με τους άνεργους, μας επιβεβαίωσαν ότι το πρόγραμμα εκπαίδευσης των καταναλωτών έχει κινήσει το ενδιαφέρον τους για περαιτέρω εκπαίδευση, αναγνωρίζοντας την αξία της δια βίου μάθησης και την επιρροή που ασκεί στις ευκαιρίες της ζωής.
Γεννιούνται εκ των πραγμάτων ερωτήματα. Το υφιστάμενο σύστημα επιτρέπει στους άνεργους να προετοιμαστούν για να καλύψουν θέσεις στην αγορά εργασίας; Ποιες ευκαιρίες εκπαίδευσης δημιουργούνται για όσους έχουν φοιτήσει μόνο στην πρωτοβάθμια και δευτεροβάθμια εκπαίδευση; Τα αποτελέσματα του έργου Ανάπτυξη Βασικών Ικανοτήτων των Ενηλίκων μέσω ενός Καινοτόμου Προγράμματος Εκπαίδευσης των Καταναλωτών θα μπορούσαν να αποτελέσουν τη βάση για να ανοίξει ένας νέος διάλογος με τα αρμόδια Υπουργεία και Φορείς.
Tisková zpráva
Sdružení obrany spotřebitelů Moravy a Slezska, z. s. ukončil dva roky trvající vzdělávací projekt, který vznikl jako společný projekt evropských spotřebitelských organizací Řecka, Itálie, České republiky a Slovenska.
Projekt reaguje na problémy nezaměstnaných mladých lidí v zemích Evropské unie. Statistické údaje o všech nezaměstnaných, pro které je vzdělávací program určen, ukazují, že v roce 2019 bylo v České republice evidováno průměrně 30 100 nezaměstnaných ve věku do 29 let, z nichž 18 500 mělo pouze základní nebo nižší střední vzdělání.
Inovativní program rozšířil nabídku vzdělávání pro nezaměstnané do 29 let s nízkou úrovní schopností, nebo nízkou kvalifikací. Výměna zkušeností pedagogů zase podporuje rozvoj jejich odbornosti v tomto druhu vzdělávání.
Program spotřebitelského vzdělávání začal výzkumem potřeb nezaměstnaných a na tomto základě byly vytvořeny případové studie z každodenního života spotřebitelů. K případovým studiím byla vytvořena metodika s cílem podpořit rozvoj společenských a občanských kompetencí a rozvoj komunikace v mateřském jazyce. Inovativní program byl doplněn o inovativní nástroje na měření rozvoje klíčových kompetencí.
Program spotřebitelského vzdělávání byl ověřen na vzorku nezaměstnaných do 29 let, ve všech zúčastněných zemích. Závěry z ověřování potvrzují, že obsah a metodika vzdělávání podporují zájem nezaměstnaných se dále vzdělávat a rozvíjet klíčové kompetence potřebné pro celoživotní vzdělávání a uplatnění na trhu práce. Probuzení zájmu nezaměstnaných o vzdělávání naznačuje možnosti, jak pomoci nezaměstnaným s nízkou úrovní schopností, anebo nízkou kvalifikací při hledání uplatnění ve společnosti a na trhu práce.
Současná podoba řešení nezaměstnanosti mladých lidí zvýhodňuje přípravu nezaměstnaných pro konkrétní pozice na trhu práce. V dnešní na vzdělávání zaměřené ekonomice bychom očekávali, že stát podporuje také programy dalšího vzdělávání nezaměstnaných, ve kterých by si rozvíjeli také klíčové kompetence potřebné pro celoživotní vzdělávání a využili je při hledání uplatnění na trhu práce.
Marcela Reichelová, předsedkyně SOS MaS, z. s.
Sdružení obrany spotřebitelů Moravy a Slezska z.s.
Přemyslovců 50, 709 00 OSTRAVA
Tel/fax.596 111 252, mobil 606 832 280
[email protected]
Sdružení obrany spotřebitelů Moravy a Slezska, z. s. je nezávislý, neziskový spolek, hájící zájmy spotřebitelů. Poskytuje základní informace o reklamačním řízení, o délce záruční doby, lhůtě k vyřízení reklamace nebo podmínkách odstoupení od kupní smlouvy nejen na internetovém serveru ww.sos-msk.cz, emailové adrese: [email protected] nebo na poradenské lince 608 722 582, ale také ve svých poradnách, které provozuje v městech Moravskoslezského, Olomouckého, Zlínského, Jihomoravského, Pardubického, Libereckého, Ústeckého kraje. Kromě poradenství realizuje řadu dalších aktivit, zaměřených na zlepšení postavení spotřebitelů a spolupracuje s řadou dalších neziskových organizací, které prosazují a obhajují práva a zájmy občanů.
Becoming unemployed is not a pleasant life experience for most of us. A much more unpleasant experience is staying in this position for many years. Finding a job in the labor market is especially successful for those who know how to choose from the current offer, have education and qualifications. But what about those who lack education and qualifications?
We started the project aimed at supporting the education of the unemployed under the age of 29 in October 2018. A survey in January 2019 showed that 41,204 unemployed under the age of 29 were registered in Slovakia, almost half of whom had only primary and lower secondary education.
Many years of experience in the field of consumer education have shown us that consumer education as a cross-sectional education of financial and media literacy, environmental and legal education is attractive for all age groups, because it is based on real life and has immediate application. We developed this idea into an international project with partner organizations in Italy, Greece, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Over the course of two years, we identified the educational needs of the unemployed, created case studies of consumers’ everyday lives, and proposed a strategy for developing and measuring the development of key competencies.
Despite the problems of pandemic influenza, we tested the individual parts of the educational program in each country. Case studies created from contemporary life have supported the willingness of the unemployed to learn to make efforts on various activities, to solve tasks and problems, to cooperate, to communicate and to use what has been learned in real life situations. The unemployed expressed an interest in participating in further education and expressed that this form of education helps them to better express ideas, communicate and present their own attitudes. Discussions with the unemployed have confirmed that the consumer education program has supported their interest in further education, recognizing the importance of lifelong learning and its impact on life chances.
The current system of financial support from the state allows the unemployed to prepare for specific positions in the labor market. The question is what educational opportunities are created for those who have only primary and lower secondary education and are not interested in these specific position? The results of the project Development of key competences of adults through an innovative program of consumer education are a call for discussion with the Ministry of Labor, Social Affairs and Family.
The five European consumer associations, Federconsumatori Piemonte in Italy, Consumer Defence Association of Moravia and Silesia, Union of Working Consumers of Greece, Lithuanian National Consumer Federation and Association of Consumer Organizations in Slovakia accepted the European Commission’s call for Erasmus +(no. 2018-1-SK01-KA204-046393) in the field of Strategic Partnerships and started to implement common project to promote innovation, exchange of experience and know-how between different types of European organizations.
The aim of the project is to create and verify an innovative program called Development of the Key Competences of Adults by Innovative Program of Consumer Education. The training program is designed for a target group of unemployed adult individuals up to 29 years of age who are characterized as a risk group with prematurely terminated secondary school and with lack of qualifications and skills.
Educational program is based on motivation of young people to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary for everyday life of consumers. In order to encourage unemployed adults to develop their key competencies, educational program creates attractive contents from daily life and use interactive forms of education.
The innovativeness of the project rests in adaptation of the training program to the needs of the target group of unemployed adult individuals. Needs analysis is conducted by method of focus groups in different regions of the countries.
Analysis of the data collected reveals the knowledge, skills, interests, motivations and attitudes to identify development of their key competencies and supporting their motivation for lifelong learning.
Within the project, case studies are created that are attractive educational content. Development of key competencies of students is based on interactive methods of education.
Within the project, indicators are created to assess the development of key competences of the learners. The quality of the consumer education program for unemployed adults is verified on the sample of the target group.
In accordance with the requirements of the ERASMUS program, the educational program has open access to public to enable educators to exchange experiences and to expand the outputs to schools, universities, other institutions, pupils, parents, and all consumers.
The international meeting is organized by the France consumer association Indecosa in order to reflect how promote a more sustainable approach in the area of production and consumption of primary goods. The President of European Consumer Union, Sergio Veroli, has been invited to represent the consumers perspective at the EU level. To know more, click here (FR language).
The European Commission’s Directorate-General for Justice and Consumers has launched the very first EU Product Safety Award last February. The aim of this initiative is to spread and reward best business practices that “go the extra mile” in product safety. For this pilot edition, the Award is focusing on both SMEs and larger companies dedicated to enhancing children’s safety. European Consumer Union will attend the award ceremony. To know more, click here (EN language).
Between December 2018 and May 2019, aspiring chefs from Portugal, Spain, Belgium, Poland, France and Sweden, have been battling it out to create new seafood recipes using sustainable species, rather than commonly overfished species. Supported by the EU-funded SEAFOODTOMORROW project, winners from the six national contests are now preparing for the final competition which will take place on 1st July, in the culinary capital of Europe – Paris!
Students and teachers from regional cooking schools were asked to create innovative dishes, using locally-sourced, and sustainable seafood species, that cater specifically for the dietary needs of pregnant women, older people and children. Entries were judged by a panel of representatives from the seafood and food industry, mass catering companies, as well as chefs and nutritionists. The winning recipes were judged on their nutritional value, texture / functionality aspect and industrial feasibility. The national winners from each competing country will now be assessed at European level.
The winning recipes will be made publicly available on the 1st of July and later adapted for production in restaurants, hotels and canteens across Europe.
PROGRAM
9.15 – Welcome of the jury members.
Presentation of the project and the objectives of the contest.
Explication of the evaluation criteria to the jury members.
10.00 – Degustation/Evaluation
3 jury panels will evaluate in parallel sessions:
– Recipes for children target group
– Recipes for senior target group
– Recipes for women target group
Degustations will be followed by oral presentation of the recipes by the candidates.
13.00 – Lunch
15.00 – Presentation of the results and prize ceremony
17.00 – End of the day.
More information can be found on www.seafoodtomorrow.eu or follow the competition on Twitter.
“European Consumer Union”: New EU consumer organization officially presented at the EU Parliament
Press release
Bruxelles, 15 March 2019
“European Consumer Union”, the new EU umbrella consumer association, was officially presented in Brussels to the EU Institutions (EU Commission, members of the European parliament and of the European Economic Social Committee) and other relevant stakeholders.
The launch event took place last 5th of March at the EU Parliament in the conference entitled “Towards EU election: Strengthening the European Union for a more effective consumer protection,” hosted by Italian MEP Viotti, S&D.
The promoters of the new-born association “European Consumer Union” (ECU) are the Italian associations Federconsumatori and Cittadinanzattiva. ECU is composed of 22 Consumer Associations coming from 16 EU Member States plus 1 extra EU Member, as ratified during the ECU’s General Assembly last October 2018 in Paris, in which the European Commission-DG Consumers took part.
The Croatian member is represented by Razvojna Organizacija Zastite Potrosaca (ROZP).
The “European Consumer Union” is the result of a growing civic awareness that, on the consumers’ side, has not yet found suitable representation at the European level: a civic awareness that, in the context of the New Deal for Consumers, aims to strengthen the protection of vulnerable people, to avoid the divide between first-class and second-class citizens having access to goods and public services, and to reduce those extremely marked inequalities that still exist not only among consumers of different EU member states but also within each single country.
An awareness that finds in a more cohesive and united Europe a suitable context to cooperate so that, in the policy-making process, greater emphasis will be placed on citizens’ perspectives, demonstrating that the Union and its institutions actually care for the protection of citizens’ general interests.
“The protest for a more careful Europe which takes into consideration the daily demands and the concrete needs of the people has been rising across the continent, where people are asking for a less financial economy and a more ‘real’ economy. In the context of consumers’ policies, which are now almost completely in the hands of the EU, this legitimate request is supported and promoted by the “European Consumer Union”, which is committed to represent the needs and demands of European citizens in a constructive manner to public and private stakeholders,” appointed ECU President Sergio Veroli.
The European Consumers Union (ECU) is a European consumer organisation which complies with all of the conditions established by the EU Institutions. ECU is a non-governmental and nonprofit organisation which is independent from industrial, commercial and business activities or other conflicting interests. Its primary objective is the promotion and protection of the health, safety, economic and legal interests of European consumers. ECU is mandated to represent consumers’ interests at the Union level by organisations in at least half of the Member States and it is active at the regional and national level. Member organisations consist of consumers’ representatives, in accordance with their national rules or practice.
As EU umbrella consumer association, ECU acts in accordance with all European principles and it pursues social solidarity and the protection of users and consumers’ rights at the national and European level in all areas of their interest.
Board:
Members:
Contacts:
Giuseppe Perretti, Liaison Officer with EU institutions at European Consumers Union (ECU)
Mail: [email protected]; mobile: +32 497 28 60 79
Mail: [email protected]
Webpage: https://europeanconsumersunion.eu
The European Consumers Union (ECU) presented the event “Towards EU election: Strengthening the European Union for a more effective consumer protection”.
The event has been chaired by Grace Attard (Delegate of the Consultative Commission on Industrial Change at the EESC and General Secretary of the Association for Consumer Rights Malta) and it took place at the European Parliament on 5 March 2019, from 10:30 to 12:30.
Welcome address and keynote presentation
MEP Daniele Viotti, Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament (Videomessage)
Sergio Veroli, ECU President and Vice President of Federconsumatori
EU commitment on consumer protection: which perspective from the New Deal?
Carina Törnblom, European Commission – Directorate General for Justice & Consumers.
Priorities for the new EU Consumer Agenda: European and National stakeholder perspective
Andrew Ebrill, Secretary General of the Council of European Energy Regulators (CEER)
Paolo Falcioni, Director-General of APPLiA – Home Appliance Europe
François Bilem, Formateur at INDECOSA CGT
Anastasia Chatzipavlou, Director of the Union of Working Consumers of Greece
Conclusions
Mariano Votta, ECU Secretary General and EU Affairs Responsible at Cittadinanzattiva Onlus
To download ECU PRESENTATION click here
To download panellist biography click here
To download ECU manifesto click here
Animali
As time goes by, ECU gets bigger.
Today the association has 15 countries from the European Community. We are very happy with the results obtained and we hope to be able to achieve all the goals we have set for the year to come.
2018 is on its doorstep and there are many projects to be implemented, as are many European calls
to which we will participate.
Some anticipation?
– The activation of our Departments, the one on Food, the Juridical one and others;
– The General Assembly, scheduled for autumn, probably in Paris;
– A European research on an important issue of consumerism;
– The activation of the High Legal Training Course, who knows … maybe not just more in the Italian version;
– The translation of the site into the languages of the members of the association. We are 15, it will not be a easy thing to do, but the idea of having a site translated into many languages will make us overcome every difficulty.
How about? There is a lot of work to do in fact.
As the ECU becomes bigger, even the activities and the desire to realize our dreams increase.
The ECU associations are very active, all present on their territories with assistance desks and
orientation for consumers.
Do you want the list? There it is:
-Union of Insured Person in Bulgaria
-Association of Croatian Consumers
-Cyprus Consumers Union & Quality of life
-SOS Association for Consumer Protection in Moravia and Silesia
-House of Consumers Cooperation (Estonia)
-Indecosa CGT (France)
-Enosi Ergazomenon Katanaloton Elladas (Greece)
-FEBESZ (Hungary)
-Cittadinanzattiva, Federconsumatori, Federconsumatori Piemonte, Consumers Movement (Italy)
-Consumer Rights Protection Center, NGO Saugok save (Lithuania)
-Association for Consumer rights (Malta)
-InfoCons Association (Romania)
-Association of Consumer Organizations in Slovakia
-Konsument Forum (Sweden)
We hope to be able to make ourselves known not only by other associations but also directly by consumers who often are not even aware of the great work that is done to obtain the respect of rights and laws and to publish laws and regulations that really travel the way of consumer rights.
Our directive committee is an european one, such as all the staff is.
President: Sergio Veroli |
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Sergio Veroli is the President of the European Consumer Union and Vice-President of the Italian consumer organisation Federconsumatori. For more than 20 years, he worked in the trade union Italian General Confederation of Labor (CGIL) becoming in 2001 the National Secretary Nidil. Since 2005, he is Vice-President in the Italian consumer organisation Federconsumatori coordinating also in 2012 the project “EU4consumers”. In 2009, he was appointed as President of the Consumers’ Forum and in 2015 Deputy Secretary Vice-President at Federconsumatori. |
Secretary General: Mariano Votta |
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Mariano Votta is the Secretary General of the European Consumer Union, Responsible for European Affairs at Cittadinanzattiva and Director of its European branch Active Citizenship Network. He has more than 17 years of experience in the field of protection of citizens’ rights, stakeholder engagement, communication and civic information. His was the idea to encourage and promote the Member of the European Parliament Interest Group “European Patients’ Rights & Cross-Border Healthcare” at the European Parliament during 2015. In August 2017, the EU Commission officially appointed Mariano Votta as Full Member of the European Consumer Consultative Group (ECCG) for the next 3 years. |
Vice President: Božena Stašenková |
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Božena Stašenková is the vice-president of the European Consumer Union (ECU) and the president of the Association of Consumer Organizations in Slovakia. For over 17 years, she actively deals with consumerism and she has collaborated with Slovak Institutions being member of Energy Committee at National Parliament, member of the Consumer Committee at the Ministry of Economics and member of the Labeling Committee at the Ministry of the Environment. At European Level, from 2003 to 2009, she has been the Slovak member of the European Consumer Consultative Group. |
Vice President: Guy Beaune |
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Guy Beaune is the Vice-President of the European Consumer Union and National Secretary of the French consumer organisation Indecosa. He is also Member of the National Consumer Council, of the High Committee of the Quality of the Transport Services and of the High Council of Energy. |
tive Citizenship Network (ACN) invited the European Consumer Union (ECU) to participate in the European Sustainable Energy Week 2017.ACN, together with three other organizations, CECED, SEDC and the ECOS, promoted and organized the conference “A smart energy system for consumers, consumers for a smart energy system”.
This conference was selected by the European Commission among the most interesting proposals of the annual edition of the European Sustainable Energy Week.
To know more about the conference, the speakers and to download the presentations, click here.
The event aimed at gathering from a wide range of experts (citizen and consumer organizations, industry, environmental NGOs and institutions) useful feedback on the development of the intelligent energy system for the benefit of active consumers.
During the event were exposed the results of several “on-the-ground” projects and intelligent technologies, in which an active role of citizens is increasingly required.
The event also allowed the discussion on how the new Clean Energy for All Europeans Package could contribute to further stimulating the smart energy system for consumers as well as encouraging the same consumers to participate in an intelligent energy system. To see the event pictures, click here.
ECU Representative was the Vice-President Bozena Stasenkova, who commented on the Clean Energy Package from a consumerist perspective.
She offers singular insights on how to educate consumers on the use of Smart Energy Systems starting from schools.
In this regard, she also showed several examples of good practices such as the “Energy and the Environment” project (carried out by the students of Artashat, Armenia and Mira, Italy), or the project “Efficiency in Croatia and Lithuania” (Developed by students from Raseiniai, Lithuania and Vukovar, Croatia).
To know more about the international competition for young consumers “Consumption for Life” click here.
To see the pictures of the event click here.
The Governing Council is a key element for the good performance of the activity and for associative life. For this reason, after many years since its inception, ECU has accomplished a great job of updating and renewing and has elected the new Steering Committee.
Last May, many of the ECU member organizations met in Brussels for the General Assembly to make some changes to make the association more and more active and up to date. Among these could not fail to update the Steering Committee!
ECU saw: a move to the Presidency, a confirmation of the Treasury, the establishment of the figure of the Secretary General, the enlargement of the Vice Presidencies and the establishment of the Presidency Staff. Among the news a very importan one is the election of the Honorary President.
The Governing Council is composed by:
President: Sergio Veroli, current Vice President – Organizing and Secretary of the Transport and Health Department of the association Federconsumatori at national level
Vice Presidents:
Bozena Stasenkova, Past President of Ecu, President of Association of Consumer Organizations in Slovakia, full member of ECCG (European Consumer Consultative Group)
Guy Beauné, past Vice President of Ecu, President of the association Indecosa, France
Igor Vujovic, President of Association Croatian Consumer, Full Member of ECCG (European Consumer Consultative Group)
Secretary General: Mariano Votta, Head of European Citizenship Policy, full member of ECCG (European Consumer Consultative Group)
Treasurer: Giovanni Dei Giudici, formerly Treasurer of ECU, President of association Federconsumatori of Piedmont
Honorary President: Ugo Mattei, Professor of International Law Compared to Hastings College of Law at the University of California at San Francisco, where he holds the chair of Alfred and Hanna Fromm Professor of International and Comparative Law. He is a professor of civil law at the University of Turin. He is academic coordinator at the International University College of Turin. Ugo Mattei’s scientific activity specializes in the study and definition of “common goods”.
In the world, unfortunately, a lot of food is thrown away, despite the economic crisis, and although there are still many people who suffer from hunger. The food, the production of which cost money, labor, water, energy, should be used to feed humans, animals, land and only in the end, be composted into the ground or end up in landfill.
What can we do in our homes, to curb this aberrant phenomenon, this colossal food waste?
These small steps, these small changes in our habits, may have the power to reduce food waste in the world.
An ant, it’s just an ant, but many ants can make a difference …
It ‘s important to educate children at the disposal of food waste so that they do not become, like most adults, unwary of the importance of food.
Today, food is considered to be a product, a commodity among many. Instead, the food is more than a product, it is, first of all, what allows us to live and embodies the culture, history, labor, ecology, balance of the world.
The image is from Internet Archive Book Images via Flickr
Image from Library Company of Philadelphia via Flickr
The associations Federconsumatori Piemonte and Tessile & Salute have created a small survey to find out the awareness of consumers about buying products made from fabrics and leathers. The main goal was to understand if, for consumers, there may be a relationship between textiles and leathers and health.
The questionnaire was divided into 4 sections.
Through the survey on the perception of quality we wanted to understand if, for our sample, the origin of a product is important and if they consider that the controls on the quality of the fabrics are sufficient, if they have the habit of reading label, and if they know the different codes used for both tissue composition and for the washing instructions.
The results show that 63% of the sample checks the provenance (often or always), the remaining 37% doesn’t.
With the same diversity of point of view of those who see the glass half empty or half full, we can be satisfied with the result, or to consider that almost 40% have no sensitivity with respect to the origin of the product.
Very similar result concerns the labeling, which appears to be an important indicator for the 76% of the sample compared with 24% claiming to read it rarely (sometimes or never).
The marks indicate that the fibers that make up a tissue are known by 41% of the sample, it knows only some 34%, and 25% say they do not know them. It goes a bit better for the abbreviations used in the markings on the correct wash, but 31.5% say they do not know them all. Finally only 23% of our sample said there are sufficient control on quality.
With the investigation of the composition of the tissues we want to know if the consumer distinguishes a leather from one made of synthetic and natural fibers and if he considers that there are differences between the two types. About 90% of those surveyed were aware of these differences, but when it comes to recognizing this difference to the touch, percentages decrease: about 60% acknowledge the natural fabrics from synthetic ones, and only 53% say they recognize the difference to the touch.
70% of respondents also say they know the materials most commonly used for the production of clothing.
The area devoted to patterns and buying criteria was aimed to investigate aspects of the decision-making process such as the consideration of the quality / price ratio. In addition, it also wanted to understand the behavior of the consumers compared to the price: if they were interested in the research “opportunity” during the sales or purchasing in the outlets, and their willingness to spend more to get more information on the traceability of the product. Finally, we wanted to know if fashion influenced the purchase.
For 70% of respondents the price is always / often a determining factor in the choice, many (80%) consider the criteria for purchasing the duration of the leaders and more than 55% buy on sale or at outlets. Over 90% of the sample is still available states to spend more money in exchange for greater product traceability.
Compared to an interest in fashion, the surveyed population is a rather less divided: about 41% say they follow always / often the fashion, over 42% say they follow the dictates sometimes, the rest claims to never do it.
The last area of inquiry concerned the relationship between fabrics / leathers and health, relationship known by almost all (97%) of our respondents as well as almost all (95%) considered it possible that the tissues may generate an allergic reaction, while it is lower the awareness with respect to the possible reaction with the leather (87%).
In addition, 44% of respondents has suffered from skin irritation due to a tissue.
CONCLUSION
In recent years, we have seen an increased attention to alimentation and we believe that this is right, but there are also other phenomena that need to be the center of attention of consumers. There are sectors which are often underestimated, as is the case for textiles, leather, tricks and so on. All the sector intended to clothing, accessories, as well as the neighboring sector for the destination of use of the cosmetic, is greatly underestimated from the point of view of safety, both by consumers and by the legislature
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