On 7 July, the European Commission launched a public consultation on a method for classifying and reporting consumer complaints, which would apply throughout the European Union (EU).
The project in consultation involves a standardised methodology for registering complaints through the use of a common grid of criteria for classifying cases. This is intended for use by third parties collecting complaints, such as national consumer authorities, consumer organisations, ombudsmen, complaints boards or regulators. These organisations may decide on a voluntary basis whether to use the classification system and to send their data to the Commission, which would then make the data public through the Consumer Markets Scoreboard.
This standardisation will provide the EC with an overall, EU-wide view of consumer problems, enabling comparisons to be drawn between sectors and countries. It will also bring the Commission closer to the every day problems of European consumers, putting them at the heart of EU policy making.
The consultation is based on the work undertaken by a group of experts comprising representatives from a number of organisations, such as Member State authorities working with consumer complaints, regulatory authorities and organisations providing alternative methods of dispute settlement.
After the public consultation closes on 5 October, the European Commission will recommend a final methodology.
Further information:
- Consumers complaints http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/strategy/complaints_en.htm
- Consumers: EU-wide complaints-classifying system to speed up policy response to failing markets http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/09/1092&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en
