A public hearing debates consumer protection, how consumer confidence could aid growth, and improving choice for people with disabilities.

Protecting consumers / Consumer-led growth / Overcoming disability

https://api.multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/documents/20125/15859630/n001-120209-002-en_mf.srt

Improving choice and protection  for consumers: that’s the aim of the EU.

The Consumer Agenda came  under scrutiny at a public hearing in the EP.

It's hoped to take forward an own-initiative  report by this man, passed late last year.

We talk about figures,  improving situations and so on,

so my main concern was  to put the consumer in the centre.

One aim is to encourage  cross-border shopping.

It now only accounts for 6% of purchases  as consumers aren’t sure of their rights.

but it means giving consumers and  businesses confidence to trade online.

If you have access  to 500 million consumers,

you only need a very small percentage  of 500 million to make a good business.

The demand side is the consumer, and  the consumer can really increase demand

if they are confident  that what they are buying is safe

and that they are being well informed  about the decisions they have to take.

The rights of people with disabilities  came under review at two public hearings,

the other with the problems  people with disabilities face as tourists.

In fact they spend much more  when they get there...

With statistics,  we can show the tourism market

and the manufacturers and organisations,  all the tourist destinations,

that if you make your place accessible  to people with disabilities,