9. Calls on the Commission to guarantee that consumer protection requirements are taken into account by ensuring that impact assessments examine the potential impact of proposals on the single market and consumers, as well as their economic, social and environmental impact;

The Commission is currently preparing various studies on existing systems of consumer redress in the Member States and rather than pre-empt the results of the Commission studies I, together with my PPE-DE colleagues, call for a strong role for Parliament and the Member States in assessing the results of the studies before deciding upon further action.

Mr Van Miert has also pointed to the fact that transparency in banking affairs is one of the priority issues in the 1990-1992 three-year action plan adopted by the Commission on 28 March 1990 for consumer protection policy in the European Community. This was confirmed by the Commission's programme of work for 1991, which stresses the need to increase transparency in transfrontier transactions.

However, actions at Community level to improve the flow of consumer information have taken the following forms: - descriptive information about goods and services: this information often appears in the form of labelling and some of the Directives mentioned earlier contain provisions relating to the requirements for such information; - prices surveys : the Commission sponsors comparative studies of prices of certain products as a means of detecting the extent of market segmentation, and to provide a basis for policy decisions; - comparative tests : many consumer associations undertake comparative tests and make the results available to ...[+++]their members: action has been taken . to provide financial assistance to the smaller associations to enable them to undertake such tests; . to stimulate the larger consumer organisations to publish the results of their tests on the basis of the Single Market rather than for each national market separately information and advice centres in trans-frontier regions : a network of 10 such centres has been established, based on existing organisations involved in consumer affairs, with the aim of providing specialist information and advice to consumers undertaking cross-frontier transactions; . the mass media : efforts are being made to improve the coverage of consumer issues, particularly at the Community level, by the mass media; . consumer education : the Commission has cooperated with organisations in Member-States in the development of didactic material, both for use in schools and for adult education.

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, 2. Whereas it is necessary for the effective working of the internal market, established since 1 January 1993, that all involved parties including individual consumers have confidence in the operation of that market and fully benefit from it; 3. Whereas in its Resolution of 9 November 1989 on future priorities for relaunching consumer protection policy (1)OJ the Council, in line with its Resolutions of 14 April 1975 and 19 May 1981, set as a priority inter alia ...[+++] seeking a Community framework for providing information on products by means of labelling; 4. Whereas the Council Resolution of 13 July 1992 on future priorities for the development of consumer protection policy (2)OJ underlines the need to secure consumer confidence in the operation of the single market and to ensure the consumer's freedom to choose from a diverse range of goods and services by improved information and transparency; whereas that Resolution calls for further measures in the areas of transparency and information inter alia with regard to further harmonization of labelling; 5. Whereas various recent studies show that consumers set a high value on information by labelling and a large majority consider it necessary that the same kind of information on specific products be provided in all Member States; 6. Whereas legislation already adopted by Council has established detailed labelling requirements for certain products while for other products requirements are insufficient or even lacking; 7. Whereas disparity of existing national legislation on labelling risks creating barriers to trade within the Community and thereby impeding the operation of the internal market, REAFFIRMS that labelling is one important means to achieve better information and transparency for the consumer and to ensure the smooth operation of the internal market.

Referring to a study - now nearing completion - on "The basic rights of consumers of public utilities in the Member States of the European Union" and to the NCC's study document, Mrs Bonino explained what she meant by basic rights: 1) security and safety of supply; 2) access for all at affordable prices; 3) separation, in all cases, of regulator and operator; 4) transparent information for consumers; 5) service quality to be assured and performance indicators published by the operator and verified by an independent authority; compensation arrangements where performance indicators are not met; 6) representation for consumers in deal ...[+++]ings with operators and regulators; 7) where disputes arise, access for all to simple, quick and cheap (or free) redress, and to fair compensation procedures; 8) appointment of a mediator for each sector with binding powers and the power to investigate; 9) special rights for certain disadvantaged population categories, e.g. the disabled; 10) provision of a basic minimum service in the event of payment difficulties.