Welcome to my Blog!
September 30, 2008
(1 votes, average: 4 out of 5)
Loading ...This is my first blog entry, in what I hope will become a mutually interesting exchange of ideas.
As European Commissioner for Consumer Affairs, I meet politicians, business people and consumer representatives from all over the EU every day of the week.
But the most important part for me is when I meet with ordinary European consumers and have a chance to listen to their opinions and feedback. My job is to represent the interests of “real” EU citizens, and to do this properly, I need to be able to see the world through their eyes.
Recently, during a visit to Finland, I participated in a local bookstore event, which was open to the general public. A number of customers - consumers like you and me - came to discuss the issues that were top on their minds: food prices, energy bills, making sustainable choices in their everyday lives… I was fascinated to hear what they had to say, and impressed to see how strong the sentiments of ordinary Finns were when it came to consumer issues.
While I didn’t have all the answers, I gained a clearer idea of what the real questions were. I took this experience back to Brussels with me and will keep it in the forefront of my mind when planning and shaping the EU’s consumer policy.
And so, I hope that you will see this blog as your “virtual bookstore” or “message board”.
I will share my experiences as EU Commissioner with you, and explain what exactly we are doing for European consumers.
But more importantly, I would like to hear from you. What can I do to make your life as a consumer a little bit easier?
Let me say upfront that I am not averse to criticism (although I do prefer the constructive kind), so do feel free! Jokes and Chinese proverbs are always welcome, as are recommendations of links, articles or other relevant material.
Whatever format you choose, please do send me your input into how the EU can better meet your needs as a consumer. I look forward to hearing from you!
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October 1st, 2008 at 9:25 am
dear commissioner,
congratulations! i am sure that opening up what we do in brussels through the web is a positive idea: we need to ensure lots of people know asap that you are now on-line for a chat…i hope that people offer you more frank coments on your blog than i get on mine!…:-)
robert.
October 2nd, 2008 at 5:50 pm
Ms.Kuneva,
as an European (Bulgarian) consumer, I have no protection from any institution in my state when it comes to utility services. I live in an apartment cooperation which consists of 36 apartments and our building has pipes running through our apartments for heating. Due to recent price jumps, inefficient and unsatisfactory service, and reduced consumer buying power, the majority of the owners do not wish to use heating services provided by the local state heating company. Nonetheless, the heating company insinsts that every single owner has to pay some sort of a tax for taking advantage of the heat released from the pipes that pass thru OUR apartments. We strongly disagree, as do the majority of people in BG with the same problem, but we would like to hear another point of view from an expert who can advise on how to approach this matter. Is it duable to seek court action and how likely is it that the consumer will will over the heating company which tried to impose and mandate their service and hence call the price of its service. Your input will be greatly appreciated!
Warm regards,
Nikolay Kirov
Plovdiv
October 3rd, 2008 at 2:05 pm
Dear Commissioner,
First of I would like to congratulate you for your already impressive achievements, especially regarding the Telecom market, which has been since its creation a total rip-off towards the consumers. Thanks for batteling against this too.
Recently you have started to attack the Tour operators and those airlines advertising tickets at false prices to which they add in the end lost of taxes and fees..
Now since we are talking travel industry, how on earth is it justifyable that airport taxes rise up to over 50% of the real airfare ??? Not only the consumer is strongly discouraged travel with prohbitive prices due to those airport taxes and not petrol or the airfare only, but airlines are forced to put down their fares in order to be capable of selling their tickets. Therefore they need to cut employment, reduce salaries and I am sure, somewhere somehow cut expenses in security.
How come that a flight to Rio de Janeiro is sold by Air France at 630 euro and the added airport taxes go up to 290 euro ???
How come that the security from check-in till take-off cost practically 300 euro ?
That is practically a 6 days net salary for an average employée !!!!
I think it is time to slap on the hands of people and organisations who have not improved whatsoever or at least not dramatically to raise costs by taxing the consumer who has no choice.
Same goes for doctors. They always complain that it is getting harder and harder for them. Last week I went to a doctor consultation: 5 minutes = 30 euro !!! A normal citizen gets 17 euro reimbursed !
Dentist make you come back several times for nothing just to cash up on consultation, whch not only ruins the national health care, buit moreover the consumer’s pockets since noone is 100 % !
Also it is time to get companies to ensure what they sell. Why is the no consumer protective law, that when paying services are down, that the consumers is still held to pay full subscription, whilst when he is late he pays fines ?? I think it is aone way thinking. If companies were forced to compensate for periods were paid services are not delivered, not only it would be fair , but it would also push companies to deliver quality. Quality is what is decreasing more and more in Europe.
It is time, I think that it stops that consumers are sometimes legally robbed, unnecessarily taxed or over taxed. Not only it would be benefial for small earners who are more sensitive budgetwise but it would improve quality of services.
Europe is a decline when companies raise their fees and taxes and the quality gets poorer.
In the hope that you understand my concern and eventually agree to it, I would like to wish further great success in your mandate which to date seems to have won many right causes.
With best regards,
Matt
October 3rd, 2008 at 8:37 pm
Hi - I hope that you can expand your interest to the US based airlines. The world needs someone like you.
Have a wonderful day - Cliff Woodrick from Long Island New York
October 6th, 2008 at 7:16 pm
Dear Mrs. Meglena Kuneva,
escuse me for my bad english.
Is excellent your initiative to unify into a single standard all laws of the online sales.
The difficulties of a company to sell online in Europe today are many:
- The consumer’s right to terminate the purchase
- The terms of payment
- Forms of payment
- The guarantee to offer the consumer
- Different rules in each member state in the field
- And much more.
Your work is difficult but necessary now.
Thanks.
Antonello Curci
October 8th, 2008 at 12:58 pm
Dear Ms Commissioner Kuneva,
We actually already met in Kehl (European Consumer centre). To be frank, this public relations exercise was a bit hollow for my taste.
I have read interviews in European newspapers about the future directive to protect the rights of consumers when they buy online. It is about time we stop all the talking and take some action. However, I wonder what will happen to the directive after the European elections. What if, for example, you are not re-appointed as Commissioner? Will the next Commissioner be as kind as you to fully harmonize EU consumer protection laws?
Looking forward to a straightforward response from you, I remain
Yours sincerely,
G. Pipobimbo
October 8th, 2008 at 1:41 pm
Congratulations on your effort to boost the online commerce in Europe and also for opening this blog.
The problem is there is not a online application like froogle for the USA that the european consumer can look in. We have to go to dozens of different national sites to try to find what we are looking for. The result: we are all buying in the USA sites !
Also one country that I thought was in Europe - the UK - has its prices in a foreigh currency !
Duarte Moniz
(Portugal)
October 9th, 2008 at 5:33 am
Dear Ms Kuneva,
Three points:
1) If you need a model for consumer protection, consider the UK’s Sale of Goods Act, a fantastic piece of consumer protection legislation. I’ve lived in many EC countries and I’ve not seen a similar set of rights elsewhere (the key one being “merchantable” quality). I believe there is a very high level of public awareness of this Act.
2) Access to national TV programmes across the EC. At the moment, the broadcasters and programme producers are able to stop persons in other EC countries receiving programmes, e.g. it’s not possible “legally” to watch national programmes (in the UK, the BBC) outside the UK due to rights issues. While producers have a right to protect their content, EU citizens are being denied access to their culture.
3) Online trading. There biggest difficulty is not finding products online, it’s a logistical problem of getting things delivered internationally. The costs of delivery internationally and within the EC is far too high and many suppliers seem to be exploiting this for extra income.
Good luck!
October 9th, 2008 at 8:14 am
Dear Commissioner,
I understand that the unification of the consumer laws leaves no room for better protection in the individual countries.
Some countries already have much better consumer protection than the new unified rules.
I am all for a standardization of rules, but why should we all be forced to the lowest common denominator?
Are these rules for the good of the consumers or the companies? I fear the latter is the case!
Kind regards,
Thomas Andersen
October 9th, 2008 at 2:34 pm
Dear Ms Kuneva,
As you know Europeans are more and more aware of the risk linked to Chinese products. These products are sold everywhere in Europe.
As recent documentary film produced by Belgian journalists pointed out, a very large number of products (including and especially food) are sold in small and big European commercial surfaces including the most well known supermarkets.
The CE label creates a major transparency problem as people are not aware that the compliance with EU rules to apply the label is voluntary. Moreover there are no controls whatsoever to verify that industries comply with these security rules.
This means very simply that anyone can put the CE label on their products even if these products are dangerous or toxic. This is what Chinese firms have been doing since always. Moreover no serious controls are done on any good coming from outside the EU (including Chinese goods).
The « made in » specification also means almost nothing as, for example, some fish coming from China in a box coming from Germany, will have the specification « made in Germany ».
In conclusion European laws are completely ineffective and the European consumer market is absolutely unsafe with the situation getting worst due to the increasing “expansion” of Chinese products on the market.
October 9th, 2008 at 5:01 pm
Dear Commissioner,
It is a great achievement to harmonise the legal background of online shopping, with which most of the problems are dealt with. Still, an important issue remains untackled, namely the price of the postal services. Especially in the case of odd-shaped not-so-pricey items (
October 9th, 2008 at 10:07 pm
Commissioner,
WHEN are you going to do something for the 1in3 UK householders / millions of policyholders around the globe affected by Commissioner McCreevy’s financial services plan (written by an industrial cartel no less!) that STOLE ALL of our SAVINGS / INVESTMENTS and thus indebted our homes FOR LIFE.
Millions of these “with profits endowment mortgage” policyholders now live overseas and are through money laundering regulations (again the domain of Commissioner McCreevy!) are being denied any CONSUMER RIGHT OF CHOICE and or ACCESS to LEGAL REPRESENTATION and the COURTS FOR REDRESS.
This is a hihgly complex situation beyond the control of distance consumers who through both enormous debt burden for life and no access to the courts have been in financial purgatory for 5-7 YEARS.
To “interfere” in our contracts, in our rules of home ownership, to introduce uncompetitive and restrictive trading practices in relation to this product and to discriminate on the basis of nationality (distance conumers) with respect to their homes / property is a breach of the LAW.
The laws contained in this plan were introduced at the “community level” and there was failure to consult the Ec Bank. Thus it is up to the Community to provide compensation as per the Ec Treaty and the Charter of Fundamental Rights. WHEN IS THIS GOING TO HAPPEN?
October 10th, 2008 at 11:46 pm
Dear Commissioner,
Congratulations on your decision to engage in blogging and to ask “the consumer” for her/his opinion.
I do hope to read more entries of you here soon. Every journey begins with the first step. And that here was a good one of yours. I will stop by here regularly if time permits.
Please continue in trying to end those rip-offs like some mobile phone companies and airlines, to name just two sectors, have been misusing us European customers for.
Thanks in advance.
October 11th, 2008 at 9:24 pm
Dear Commissioner -
First of all, well done for being brave enough to publish a blog.
I would ask you look at energy prices in the UK. They have soared over the last few months and I am afriad that many disadvantaged citizens - the poor and the elderly - will suffer this winter. In a way, many will commit suicide - by not turning their heating on, for fear of the bills they will incur through the winter months.
Groups such as Help The Aged are lobbying in the UK for a more sympathetic approach from the suppliers - but most of their work is falling on deaf ears. I fear many pensioners will simply freeze to death in their own homes this winter.
Thank you for any help you can bring to this.
October 11th, 2008 at 10:27 pm
Dear commissioneer,
I contact you after I contacted Ms. Kroes. The german gouvernement want to sell to the private sector a part of the train company. Please stop this. The corrupt german autorities could not achieve a good situation since they made privat the monopolist energy sector. Now they want to create again a new private monopoly. Not again.. else yourself or Ms. kroes will need 10years before you ca recover from this situation.
Lets accept a privatiation after at least 5 different competitors are in place. If not, dont accept this.
thanks,
pascal
October 13th, 2008 at 4:35 pm
Dear Commissioner,
I am so pleased with the wonderful job you and your team are doing to advance the rights of EU consumers. Do you have any additional measures to take for the UK? It seems that by and large British and foreign consumers suffer endless abuse in the UK at the hands of merchants such as O2, virgin wireless, HSBC, etc.
October 13th, 2008 at 8:21 pm
Dear Commissioner Kuneva,
Congratulations on your new website! Congratulations on your blog! It’s obvious that you, your team and your services have done excellent work!
I found out for your block by a friend. Thus, I think that just a little bit of ads is not unnecessary. For instance, you can have your own banner on every website of the Commission Representations…
Regards,
a
October 14th, 2008 at 1:33 pm
In leaving this comment it is the first time ever I have felt ‘connected’ to the EU. I now feel I might just be able to influence EU consumer policy just a little bit!
I live in Northern Ireland and am disabled and consequently do 90% + of my shopping on-line and just as most ladies enjoy going from shop to shop on the high street, I enjoy the same experience online. The lady shopping in the high street sees a bargain (in my wife’s case shoes reduced from £70 to £7, picks it up, takes it to the sales counter in the sure and certain knowledge that it will cost exactly £7.
When I pick-up my bargain online I go to the checkout and have to do a dummy run to find out that
The ‘free UK delivery’:
1) applies to UK mainland only and therefore should correctly be referred to as GB (Great Britain) as the UK is the United Kingdom of Great Britain & Northern Ireland
2) is free + £20 surcharge to Northern Ireland
3) is free but only if the value of the goods are greater than £X (only later do you find out that the £X ‘does not include vat’
So now you see my shopping expedition has turned into a time wasting nightmare! Of course not all websites are guilty just the majority
So what is needed
a) A clear guidance on the use of UK - if it says UK it must mean all of UK
b) A clear ‘Shipping & Handling’ or ‘P&P’ link on the home page of every site and crystal clear information before one starts shopping.
c) An end to headline grabbers like ‘FREE SHIPPING’ unless it means just that otherwise the must be a clear qualification in standard print, with the headline
d) A symbol that the site is UK friendly (i.e. all citizens of the UK are charged the same)
e) On many occasions I have been told there would be a £X surcharge when I know that the Royal Mail (which delivers to all citizens of the UK on an equal basis) could deliver much cheaper
I know I have concentrated on UK but I am sure the same problems apply to the European mainland
FINALLY! By biggest hate of all which is common with ISPs and Mobile phone providers is ‘Available from only £X per month’ but when you start to read into it that’s only for the first three month’s and then it is £2X. At £X per month I may be interested but at £2X I am totally disinterested. So my time has been wasted by an eye catching headline. Why should any company have a given right to waste my time?
October 14th, 2008 at 7:01 pm
Congratulations, Commissioner.
Though I’m a U.S. citizen living in Thailand, a person who has never been anywhere in Europe, since a lot of non-EU people have business and other travel that takes them to the EU, it’s great to see an engaged public official opening up a blog for ordinary folks to be able to follow your activities.
I hope you keep up the good work!
October 15th, 2008 at 4:20 pm
Bonjour !
Je voudrais tout d’abord vous féliciter, vous et votre équipe, du travail extraordinaire que vous avez accompli !
Je vous écris à propos d’un problème concernant la manière dont les fabriquants de matériel informatique présentent leurs produits sur leurs sites Internet respectifs. Que ce soient les cartes mères, les cartes vidéo, les processeurs ou les chipsets, les fabriquants ne présentent jamais sur leurs sites l’année de production, de première sortie, de leurs produits. Ainsi les consommateurs ont le plus grand mal à s’orienter dans l’ancienneté du produit. Cela est très important pour la lisibilité de leurs gammes de produits, par exemple pour les cartes graphiques(vidéo), afin de situer dans le temps l’éloignement des différentes générations de produits, mais également par rapport à l’évolution des prix qui devraient baisser avec le temps. Les personnes qui ne souhaitent pas acheter un produit dans l’immédiat devraient avoir la possibilité d’attendre avant de décider d’un achat et ne pas être maintenus dans ignorance, voire être induit en erreur, sur l’ancienneté du produit afin qu’on les bouscule à acheter immédiatement, sous la menace de sa disparition présumée prochaine du marché.
Je voudrais bien croire que l’on puisse trouver une solution à ce problème, ainsi qu’à ceux soulevés par les personnes ci-dessus !
Bonne continuation !
October 16th, 2008 at 10:19 pm
Dear Mrs. Meglena Kuneva
Recently, I have tried to book flight tickets with the Hingarian airline company Wizz air. Due to the fact that I haven’t had credit card at that time, I used the other option for payment that the Company offers, namely bank transfer. I have read carefully all the instruction and completed the bank transfer as they required. I have been waiting for one week to receive the confirmation of my bookings, as the company web site specifies. However, I didn’e get any confirmation. Therefore, I was forced to call their call centre which charged me about 40 GBP for 20 min talk. People at the call centre kindly explained to me that although I have done everything according to the Company’s requirements, they (for some unknown reason) couldn’t relate the payment to my booking and therefore I have no reservation and no tickets but still they keep the money. Now I am not able to spend the Chrismas holidays with my family, I have spent more than 40 GBP for call that wasn’t my fault and I hoping that one day this Company will give me back my money for the unrealized booking. I would like to ask you:
Is this a normal European trade practice and do I have any rights as a customer at all?
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Kind regards
Nikola
October 17th, 2008 at 9:27 pm
Dear Commissioner Kuneva:
In Mobile Internet Telecommunications , there is a vital vote at the FCC in the USA about using “White Spaces” , http://www.wirelessinnovationalliance.org/ , the unused space-spectrum between Television channels for internet ,video,voice and data, and open to all, and the FCC and the White Space alliance are facing a massive attack from the TV networks which don’t want any competition, ideally we would like the European and American Consumers, the whole world , to have another choice, another option, another channel, what will Europa do ? stand by the consumers ? or stand with the TV Networks and their Monopoly ? what will you do ?
another decision is about Powerline Standards, Internet over electrical cables, and here we also hope the consumers get another choice, another option, so let’s hope the G.hn can move forward and with the P1901 agree to make a common standard for all, so that this valuable asset can deliver options to consumers.
3 vital choices need consumer access:
Wi-Fi ABGN with multiple antennas , Powerline Internet and White Spaces are vital options to bring Internet broadband to the whole Community, as long as every single home, village, town and farmer does not have full bradband and these options, growth will not reach its full potential , so what will Brussels do ? stand with the consumers ? help them get these new options ? or just help the old Monopolies and block these 3 new technologies ? what will you do ?
October 19th, 2008 at 7:05 pm
Dear Mrs Kuneva, I’d like to produce you a link
http://www.grey-panthers.it
in which you can found some information from EU site (also about your idea to defend e-commerce!)and consumers area too. The site is special dedicated to over50 people and it is the only one in Italy not vocated to old people, but to new seniors! I ask you, please, to suggest me if there are some materials, new ideas, project in Europe Commissions especially dedicated to my target.I’d like to transform a little site in a movement of opinion, perhaps not really political, but rich of ideas! Thankyou for your attention and many whishes for your job!
Vitalba Paesano
October 20th, 2008 at 1:16 pm
Dear Commissioner,
How did You evaluate actions (inactions) of Your team during poisoning with melamine scandal?
I would like to point out the fact that first practice of usage of melamine as “fake protein” took place last year – in USA with pet food produced in China.
Inevitably followed up next step of melamine usage in food stuffs – as everyone knows – poisoning of human beings.
And only on week 40 products contaminated with melamine were detected on EU markets (Netherlands, Belgium, France, UK, Hungary and etc).
The question is – were ES consumers poisoned with melamine containing products before week 40?
Does Your team feel some responsibility because of not putting proper attention on melamine scandal one year ago (in order to prevent it on EU market) and not taking necessary measures to ensure the safety of EU consumers or at least timely not informing them?
How Your team is going to avoid similar cases in the future?
October 24th, 2008 at 3:45 pm
Dear Ms. Kuneva,
I was very impressed by your first post and I want to congratulate you for the idea. Just a remark, from my personal view it will be more interesting if you reply the comments on your blog. Do not you think?
I will follow you up with interest
Regards
La oreja de Europa
October 26th, 2008 at 12:16 pm
Dear Madame
I support the previous comment of Dr. Tendo. While he explains in a better detailed manner the issue is the same: I would like to express my disappointment when, looking at the label of any piece of clothing in quite many shops & supermarket, low-to-high price, there IS NOT a certified origin of production and manifacturing country, in order to let the consumer decide if this purchase is convenient/ethic or not.
Many of the clothing that are made in China, in the attempt to avoid the “bad fame” China has deserved, now tell: “imported by xxxx” or “distributed by xxxxx”.
When will the EC put order in this anarchy?
October 30th, 2008 at 1:16 pm
Thanks to the many people who have posted comments on this blog in the last few weeks. I am so pleased to see people taking an interest and hope that there are many more contributions to come in the future!
I have been looking at the postings and I see many problems raised that I know are really bothering consumers - problems to do with utilities, particularly the big issues of central heating and energy, questions about goods from China, demands for labelling on country of origin and labelling to allow consumers decide on ethical issues…These are all very interesting issues – thank you for your comments!
I have to tell you that it will not simply be possible to respond in detail to every individual comment that comes to the blog. Specific complaints that come in will be registered properly in by my team in the Commission’s system and will receive the formal response that they, of course, require.
But rest assured that I will certainly read all of the comments that come in. They will feed into both my thinking and that of my team and my department. So, never feel the comments are not used or that you are not heard!
I am particularly interested to see that quite a number of comments on the blog are about e-commerce and online shopping - these are really priority issues for me! I see also very relevant suggestions, like the need for Europe-wide price comparison sites so consumers can really shop around! It is exactly what consumers need!
I am determined to strengthen consumers’ rights across the EU. I want consumers to be able shop around – online and in the high street - with confidence, so they can really seek out the best choice and value for money. Consumers should not be held hostage in their national markets. For that reason, I have recently brought forwards proposals for new EU-wide consumer rights for shoppers. The aim is put in place a core set of consumer rights which every consumer can rely on wherever they shop in the EU - online or in the main street. The proposed Directive also aims to give business a standard set of core contract terms so they can sell more easily into many markets in the EU – that means more choice, more competitive offers and better value for money for consumers. There are big differences in the prices on offer, so my message to consumers is that it is really worth shopping around. I will present the new proposals to the Parliament on November 5th so I am looking forward to a good discussion there.
I will come back to the issue of breaking down barriers to e-commerce in more detail shortly on this blog.
On a different note, I would like to add a word of thanks to the many people I have met in different Member States recently – particularly in Greece last week and in the UK this week.
I will give special mention to the UK as I was there just this week, and I was so pleased to give the closing speech at the first EU Citizens’ Energy Forum which was held in London. Regulators, industry, consumer organisations and Member States – from 27 countries - came together for the first time specifically to tackle retail energy problems. In practical terms, this relates to our key consumer issues - like clear billing, switching problems and provisions for vulnerable consumers. It is a big step forward to get the forum going and I am delighted that my department will now chair a special working group on clear billing. This is one of the biggest problem issues for consumers both in terms of saving money and in terms of sustainable consumption. I want to make sure this work with all the key parties moves as quickly as possible.
Finally, I will also mention two great consumer champions who I met – both of whom made a big impression! These are the TV programme “Watchdog” and BBC Radio 4’s “You and Yours”. I was delighted to spend time in their studios in London watching how these consumer programmes collect and process consumer complaints and seeing how effective they are at raising the profile of consumer problems in order to get them solved. They are doing such a great job in making sure that consumer issues get the respect and attention they deserve - I wish them every success!
Meglena
October 31st, 2008 at 1:43 pm
Dear Commisioner,
I want to congratulate you for your efforts in harmonizing the online market in EU and for your recent initiative regarding the wide-rights for shoppers.
Surfing for attractive services throughout Europe, EU online consumers have the frustrating experience that the internet is not as borderless as they thought. Notwithstanding the principally borderless character of the internet, they find that some e-commerce businesses have actually re-introduced territorial barriers through technology.
Strategies range from the plain refusal of access for residents or citizens from other member states to the application of different prices and conditions.
I want to give an example about the malfunction of the “unitary EU online Market”. It also shows how traders sell across the Union in a fragmented way and use the borders to discriminate among EU citizens and to obtain higher profits.
As a resident in Romania I cannot shop online crossborder but in a few stores, most of the stores in EU refusing delivery in Romania. Although they deliver in many non-EU countries.
However, I found a store in France which delivers in Romania and I became their customer for more than a year. The surprise comes right now, when I find out incidentally that the store opens a subsidiary in Romania soon and this means that I should order only at the Romanian subsidiary, with the domain .ro.
There are several reasons that make me consider this an abuse:
-the Romanian subsidiary has higher prices than .fr
-all discounted prices are available only for countries that do not have subsidiaries
-only a few products are sold on the Romanian website, so I cannot buy the items that I would normally choose as .fr customer (on the French site there are more than 25.000 items, on the Romanian site less than 6.000 items sold)
I checked and there seems that the shop (laredoute.fr) has indeed this business practice.
Namely, they have subsidiaries in other countries, such as Belgium,UK, Spain, Portugal, Italy…In all these countries the prices are higher than on the French website and the geographical restriction applies: if you live in UK you cannot order on the French website, you are redirected to your country website.
I am writting to you to express the position of a large number Romanians which were customers of the laredoute.fr; we consider this interdiction of shopping on the French site an abuse. Where should we report it further?
November 1st, 2008 at 7:14 pm
Iam agreed with Mihaela Preda in all wath she said.Please do something to spot this kind of sales practices.
November 3rd, 2008 at 2:13 pm
I want to congratulate you for your efforts . I am agreed with them…I consider this interdiction of shopping on the French site (Laredoute.fr )an abuse.
November 4th, 2008 at 10:15 am
Dear commissioner,
Regarding your initiative for e-commerce and online shopping and of course customers equal rights I would like to present some of the problems that I have, as EU new citizen,
I am one of the many Romanian customers of Laredoute.fr. As I understand, starting November the store intends to open a branch (franchise) in Romania, but without maintaining the same conditions as were on the original store in France. Because of that, the access on the original site store will be restricted and we, Romanian customers, will not be able to buy at decent prices from Laredoute.fr, but only on Laredoute.ro (also we will not be able to benefit of all range of products from original site and of course of all the discounting prices).
Personally I consider the restrictions that this online store intends to impose to us as an abuse and a flagrant violation of customers rights (this is also the fact that happened in all EU countries that have a La Redoute franchise - Italy, UK, Spain, etc – higher prices, no discounts comparable with French ones, access denied at all the range of the products).
Secondly from freedom of online shopping in EU space point of view, I am very unpleased of the fact that we as Romanian citizens had expected to be treated as equal starting January 2007, the moment when we became EU member. But this was not happened at all. With very few exceptions, EU online store that accepts cross border deliveries does not delivery to Romania or Bulgaria. I really hope that by your initiative this kind of injustice to be removed.
November 4th, 2008 at 9:27 pm
vidin Kyosev, Bulgaria
Congratulations Commisioner Kuneva,
For all your efforts and for everithing that you and your team are doing. Let’s hope that everithing will be O.k. for the all the europeans as customers. BECOUSE FOR NOW IT IS NOT LIKE THIS, at least not for everybody.
I have a question about CUSTOMER WARANTY RIGHTS… For example in our country BULGARIA I CAN NOT USE MY ___SONY___INTERNATIONAL___WARANTY___, becouse I DIDN’T BOUGHT MY SONY Digital Camera IN BULGARIA, BUT in the European Union (ITALY).
WHY I CAN’T USE MY INTERNATIONAL WARANTY IN BULGARIA???
For repairing I will have to pay as much for a new one. And so I didn’t paid an so my waranty is OFF.
IT’S NOT EQUAL FOR EVERY EUROPEIAN I THINK.
November 10th, 2008 at 3:28 pm
Congratulations commisioner Kuneva!
Being online is a good start, but replying to some of these people would be even better. The previous thread of not being able to use the international warranties in Bulgaria is a good example of a problem that needs to be solved asap!
November 11th, 2008 at 4:24 am
What about forcible selling of servces, please?
“Toplofikacia” Ltd. sells anytime new measuring devises without consumer’s concent. Besides this, a taxes for disrubution are collected, despite claims that Toplofikacia had no rights for such an activty (distribution)
Wih hope of any answers,
I remain
lbsimeonov
November 12th, 2008 at 10:50 am
It would be better to delete the blog instead of letting it deserted like this, with just one initial article…
November 26th, 2008 at 10:02 pm
Dear Commissioner Kuneva,
I am more than happy to see you here, over the Internet instrument for informal discussions - the blog.
I would take my chances, as a person working in the field of consumer protection, to use this way of communication with you!
Hopefully you will have the time to blog, having in mind your full agenda.
Wish you all the best!
ECC Bulgaria team.
December 3rd, 2008 at 9:44 am
Госпожа Кунева, поздравления за признанието ви като Еврокомисар на годината и Европеец на годината. Наистина го заслужавате! Успех!
December 3rd, 2008 at 10:52 am
Congratulations, Commissioner, for your award!
We are proud with you!
February 17th, 2009 at 10:41 pm
Dear Ms Kuneva,
I am adding my voice to all the cries of the Bulgarian consumers strangled by the company called TOPLOFIKACIA.
You, being Bulgarian would be very familiar with the problem.
To all non Bulgarians on the web I would explain what the problem is:
Toplofikacia, obviously completely unrestricted is supplieing forcefully heat energy to housing complexes tipically in Bulgarian cities. The company in most of the cases does not hold a written contract with the consumers. However this doesn’t stop them charging, threatening and sewing all the residents in any block of flats regardles of their energy consumption. The company claims that the energy lost in the bulding walls during transportation to it customers must be paid by everyone in the building, including those that do not live in the property, even having the radiators turned off and energy meters indicating zero consumption.
Bulgaria is outraged by the political backing up that Toplofikacia has and this may lead to civil unrest! Bulgarian EU membership is becoming a joke as the counry is having a two face policy where it presents it self as a modern European country but in fact it is the lousy EU member with lack of any consumer protection, driven by greedy business class entwined with politicians.
P.S. congratulation on your new assignment. I hope your powers are enough to fight the Bulgarian currupted state machine and give every Bulgarian the opportunities every western European has!
April 29th, 2009 at 11:49 am
Great post!
a bit peculiar though.<br />
<br />
Sincerely,<br />
Bernard Bonehard<br />
<a href=”http://www.vcadirect.nl” title=”vca vol”>vca vol</a>
December 10th, 2009 at 1:28 pm
This theme is simply matchless :), it is pleasant to me)))