General financial framework 2004-2007 for Community consumer policy activities

The European Union has set a financial framework of EUR 81.8 million in support of consumer policy for the period 2004-2007. This financial framework will fund 19 actions relating to: protection of consumer safety (services and non-food products), protection of the economic and legal interests of consumers, promotion of consumer information and education and promotion of consumer organisations.

ACT

Decision No 20/2004/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 8 December 2003 establishing a general framework for financing Community actions in support of consumer policy for the years 2004 to 2007 [See amending acts].

SUMMARY

Decision No 1926/2006/EC has repealed Decision No 20/2004/EC with effect from 31 December 2006 (see below).

Decision No 20/2004/EC replaced Decision No 283/1999/EC (which had been in force until 2003) and established a new budgetary framework for a four-year period. The objective was to establish a direct link between the actions financed in support of consumer policy and the priorities of the Consumer policy strategy 2000-2006, taking into account the Financial Regulation applicable to the general budget of the European Communities.

The Decision allocated funding to the amount of EUR 81.8 million (of which EUR 60.6 million was for the period up to 31 December 2006) to finance a total of 19 actions to develop consumer policy.

The financial framework was also accessible to the countries of the European Economic Area and the associated countries.

The financial instrument for 2004-2007 was used to finance, for example, the RAPEX rapid alert system, the EEJ network (see "Related Acts") and specific projects which fulfil the objectives and priorities of the Community's consumer policy.

This annual budget was equivalent to the budget allocated for actions in support of consumer policy in the previous period.

For further information, please consult the SCADPlus webpage on the 1999-2003 financial framework for Community activities in favour of consumers.

Decision No 1926/2006/EC

This Decision establishes the new programme of Community action in the field of consumer policy (31 December 2006 - 31 December 2013), replacing the general financing framework for 2004-2007.

RELATED ACTS

Report from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council on the implementation of Community actions in support of consumer policy 2004-2005 as established by Decision 20/2004//EC [COM(2006) 193 final - Not published in the Official Journal].

The report sets out the amounts spent on the development of the 19 Community actions in support of consumer policy scheduled for 2004 and 2005.

During this period the Member States implemented new coordinated actions especially in the field of market surveillance. Other initiatives cover the implementation of consumer information and education actions.

Report from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council on the implementation and evaluation of Community activities 2002-2003 in favour of consumers under the General Framework as established by Decision 283/1999/EC [COM(2005) 432 - Not published in the Official Journal].

The report provides an overview of measures in favour of consumers in 2002-2003, and also assesses a number of activities carried out in 2004.

The latest measures focus on the desire to enhance the consumers' knowledge base. One such measure is the merging of the network of European consumer centres with the European Extra-judicial Network (EEJ-NET), which was created in January 2005.

The report also points to the need to provide greater support for consumer associations and, in particular, to increase their capacity.

Last updated: 05.03.2007