The need to enforce European legislation and close the legislative gaps for consumer protection was underlined by New Democracy MEP and spokesman for the party’s Eurogroup, Dimitris Tsiodras, in his intervention in the plenary session of the European Parliament on the new EU agenda for consumers.

Furthermore, Tsiordas added that consumers daily “face challenges such as unfair commercial practices in the fine print of websites, the sale of dangerous products online and high costs, especially for everyday consumer goods.”

He pointed out that the European market is “flooded” with counterfeit or dangerous products through imports from Asian platforms, stressing that this is a double problem, as it poses a risk to the safety and health of consumers and unequal competition for European traders and producers.

Referring to the abolition of the exemption of small packages from submitting to customs duties and the imposition of an administration fee, he noted that they are positive measures, but they do not solve the problem on their own.

The MEP and press spokesman of the New Democracy Eurogroup stressed the need for strengthened mechanisms for better control of what is imported and what is circulating in the market and the strengthening of national authorities with the establishment of a new European Customs Authority.

He concluded by underlining the need to abolish unjustified logistical restrictions that allow the same products to be sold at different prices, depending on the size of the market and to the detriment of consumers.

Detailed text of the intervention:

“Consumers face daily challenges such as unfair commercial practices in the “fine print” of websites, the sale of dangerous products online and high costs, especially for everyday consumer goods.

The European market is flooded with counterfeit or dangerous products through imports from Asian platforms such as toys that do not meet current safety standards.

The problem is twofold: safety and health risks for citizens and unequal competition for European traders and producers.

The abolition of the exemption for small packages to be subject to customs duties and the imposition of a handling fee are positive measures.
But they do not solve the problem on their own.

We need:
– Enforce European legislation and close any legislative gaps.
– Strengthened mechanisms to better control what is imported and what is on the market.
– Strengthen national authorities with a new European Customs Authority.
– And the abolition of unjustified logistical restrictions that allow the same products to be sold at different prices, depending on the size of the market, and to the detriment of consumers.

And all of this must be done immediately!”