Consumer Education in the EU Fostering youth attention to their consumer rights? A common challenge Marie-Paule Benassi, Acting Director for Consumer Affairs, DG JUST Prague, 19 November 2018

Consumer Education an important part of consumer law enforcement! Consumers have to play their part to ensure their rights are respected: Public authorities cannot control all businesses, all the more in an economy that is more and more digitalised and thus open to foreign traders Consumers need to be proactive and seek a solution with traders when something goes wrong Traders need to understand that they have empowered consumers in front of them People need to report on consumer issues to improve policies

Legal background of EU Consumer Education Art 169 TFEU: In order to promote the interests of consumers and to ensure a high level of consumer protection, the Union shall contribute to protecting the health, safety and economic interests of consumers, as well as to promoting their right to information, education and to organise themselves in order to safeguard their interests. Both the Consumer Agenda and the Consumer Programme 2014-2020 aim to support consumers throughout their lives by, inter alia, informing and educating them.

Interactive platform funded by the EU Exchange of good practices https://www.consumerclassroom.eu/ Interactive platform funded by the EU Exchange of good practices Distribution of consumer education material among teachers and other professionals 12-18 years old students Different subjects and topics Material on digital education New media technologies and sustainable consumption

For teachers and other professionals Taster tour on website to show you around Training videos Fact sheets on consumer issues Lesson plans Frequently asked Questions Consumer Champion http://www.consumerchampion.eu/ - Skills Building Program for Consumer Specialists in Europe

Key facts and figures Unique users: 1 497 661 out of which 1 248 763 from Europe Registered users (teachers, experts): 54,817 out of which 26 856 teachers 1 217 ready-to-use teaching resources collected from across the EU and evaluated by our network of national focal points  

EU added value Web community of teachers from Europe and beyond 24 languages ​​(including lesson plans, presentations, videos, tests) Promotion of cross-curricular and interdisciplinary projects in all EU Member States Inter-School competitions School partnerships Partnerships with consumer organizations and other NGOs

What next for EU Consumer Education? Authoritative voice on Consumer Education on the Internet Increase awareness of pupils/adolescents Responsibility of our future consumers both at national and European level More networking with extracurricular partners (consumer ministries, consumer organisations ...)

Consumer campaign 2019 – Know your rights EU-wide campaign on consumer rights with a specific focus on 10 Member States. The objective is to create a coherent communication approach on consumer rights and to: Inform citizens about their rights and the role of EU in ensuring these (awareness) Inspire consumers to use them (action)

Consumers lie at the heart of the post-2020 MFF Funding of awareness raising campaigns to boost consumer protection with a special focus on: - enforcement of consumer rights - online fraud - more sustainable consumption choices Focus on the protection of vulnerable consumers Continuation of the joint funding of the European Consumer Centres and capacity building of consumer organisations at EU-level

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