”We fear that consumer protection in the Region will be weakened unless the Nordic countries take a lead during the debate about the consumer directive. We need to protect levels of consumer protection and the right to set higher standards than those laid down by the EU,” says Henrik Dam Kristensen MP, a Danish member of the Citizens' and Consumer Rights Committee.

One of the items in the directive that concerns the Nordic countries is the issue of total harmonisation, which would mean a lower level of protection in some areas of consumer policy in the Nordic countries.

The Nordic countries would prefer the EU to opt for harmonisation at the highest possible level combined with the option of higher national standards.

”Consumer protection in the Nordic countries is on a higher level than in many other EU countries, so it is important to the Nordic Council that current levels are not lowered,” Kristensen explains.

Kristensen and the President of the Nordic Council, Helgi Hjörvar, met Nordic members of the European parliament Consumer Committee to discuss the issue in June.

The Citizens' and Consumer Rights Committee has submitted its recommendations to the European committees of the Nordic parliaments.

The European Parliament is scheduled to discuss the draft directive in the autumn, after which it will be submitted to the EU Council of Ministers.

The Citizens' and Consumer Rights Committee is holding its summer meeting in Greenland this week.

Silje Bergum Kinsten
Phone +45 33 96 02 51
Email siki@norden.org