Friday 13 June 2014 Dolmen Hotel Organised by The Consumer Affairs Council Grace Attard

1. Il-Kulturatal-Customer Care fi hdan l-Awtoritajiet: Kemm hi effettiva Friday 13 June 2014 Dolmen Hotel Organised by The Consumer Affairs Council Grace Attard Association for Consumer Rights Malta Member of the European Economic and Social Council

2. Objective: Empowering the Consumer The EU consumer policy hastwo priority areas: To ensure a common high level of protection for all EU consumers, wherever they live, travel to or buy from in the EU, from risks and threats to their safety and economic interests. To increase consumers’ capacity to promote their own interests, i.e. helping consumers help themselves.* *http://ec.europa.eu/health/ph_overview/Documents/com_2005_0115_en.pdf

3. Defining ‘customer care’ Is it only...... • A response service to complaints? • A ‘management by crisis’ service? • Is our system one of ‘partial dependency’ on providers of responses to complaints? Should it be...... • Timely access to information on product/service • Timely access to developments in the standardisation process • Customer care as a process of empowering the consumer

4. What should customer care also involve? • Information and awareness raising • Stepping up enforcement and improving implementation • Securing redress in meeting customers’ needs when dealing with complaints • Data Protection • Consumer Information for online digital products • Protecting children from misleading advertising

5. What should customer care also involve? • Consumer education materials • Training courses on financial advice • Promoting the role of consumer organisations • Food Labeling • Nutrition and health claims • Sustainable food and food waste • Package Travel • Air Passenger Rights

6. Customer Care Providers • MCCAA • Consumer Affairs Council (advisory role to Government) • Consumer Affairs NGOs • Manufacturers, retailers, establishing a customer care contact team/persons • Legal experts - service providers • PR and experts of various entities eg: Banks, IT providers etc • Ongoing training for all customer care providers

7. Customer Care Infrastructure MCCAA to be the overall Authority to coordinate the various initiatives of different stakeholders: • law enforcement • to ensure education programmes are standardised, • to ensure development of expertise • technical and financial assistance to NGOs • and other necessary initiatives for consumer protection and education in a fast changing scenario

8. Customer Care Infrastructure • Involving all stakeholders including the Business Community, Trade Unions and NGOs in constructive dialogue on consumer affairs : • rights and obligations of consumers and providers • the consumer educationstrategy • Encouraging sustainable consumption, • giving a competitive edge to the business sector • More networking of the relevant stakeholders and NGOs through interactive talks, projects on developments in EU regulations, standards etc

9. Customer Care Infrastructure • Consumer Education in Lifelong Learning programmes • Ensuring that the tools used to reach objectives are translated into well-targeted outcomes • Exchange of good practice through European and International Counterparts • Keeping in touch with developments in legislation and new legislation and emerging consumer products/services at EU and Global level

10. Customer Care Infrastructure • Referrals to EU Commission on Consumer Affairs when dealing with sensitive situations • Involvement of Local Councils • However, the responsibility for investigating should fall on MCCAA and/ or authorised personnel

11. Consumer Affairs Associations • Establishing a code of ethics on how associations operate • Capacity building: addressing the needs of Consumers Associations • The need to be informed of developments, new issues that rise from time to time • The need for funds to employ experts and other necessary human resources • The use modern technology, including the social media. • Personal contact and exchange of experiences is an essential method of empowerment and should be a priority of a Consumer Association

12. The Mass Media • The role of TV, social media, print media, mobile telephony etc • Demystifying the media – appeals to emotions and financial rewards • Empowering consumers - addressing aggressive advertising and marketing • Dealing with the technical skills required to make use of the media in various ways.

13. Media education for all ages – skills-building for interaction with the media • Introducing initiatives which educate and empower consumers of all ages • to become active responsible consumers of the media and internet in a general manner, • rather than passive consumers • focus on the media as products in themselves • Clear separation of information, (including labelling) advertising and education • Further initiatives in school curricula at an early age and at all ages • Eg: Consumer classroom project

14. Digital Competence • Initiatives being carried out so far are effective, (Lifelong learning Programmes) • Ensuring access by all sectors of society • Reaching vulnerable groups, persons with disability, children, youths, and elderly • persons with social problems, persons with illiteracy problems, persons involved in criminal activities, inmates of prisons etc. • Narrowing the digital divide should be a priority

15. Financial Education • Financial education will allow consumers • to make informed decisions, and • To promote the intelligent consumption of financial products. • This should be a common objective for governments, regulators and supervisory Authorities and Consumer Affairs Associations .

16. Financial Education The urgent need to set up again a Commission for Financial Education • to educate on responsible consumption and • to ensure people are sufficiently financially literate to be able to take the right decisions on managing their personal finances in the real world (financial empowerment)

17. List of areas dealing with Consumer Rights and Protection • Health services and safe consumption of medicines of all ages • Health and safety at the workplace for different categories of workers including pregnant mothers and elderly workers among others • Financial Education and Consumption and Financial Literacy • Insurance Policies • Labelling and information on packed, bottled products etc

18. List of areas dealing with Consumer Rights and Protection • Reporting consumer complaints and inquiries • Media Literacy and Consumption • Product guarantees and contracts • Banking and investment • Product Safety • ECO products • Use of Internet Services • Product lifetimes - products with built-in defects • Data Protection

19. List of areas dealing with Consumer Rights and Protection • Online Gambling • Public Transport • Road Safety and Traffic Rules • Foodstuffs, in particular those intended for nutritional use • Healthy Lifestyles – dietary habits • Alcohol Consumption • Travel Packages • Patients’ Rights • Guidelines on Passenger Rights

20. List of areas dealing with Consumer Rights and Protection • Property Contracts • Installation of lifts – responsibilities • Door-to door sales • Tele-shopping • Private property construction rights • Obligations in cases of accidents of workers • Rights to information in criminal proceedings • Right of access to a lawyer and right to communicate upon arrest • Toy Safety

21. List of areas dealing with Consumer Rights and Protection • Enforcement of unfair commercial practices • Guidelines on consumer rights in the energy sector • Pesticides and standards in the production of agricultural products • Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) • Animal food production The list is not exhaustive…… http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/strategy-programme/policy-strategy/documents/consumer_policy_report_2014_en.pdf

22. Consumer confidence depends on genuine Consumer protection Thank you Grace Attard General Secretary Association for Consumer Rights (ACR) info@konsumatur.com www.acrmalta.weebly.com