The Commission presents a report on the mid-term evaluation of the Consumer Programme 2014-2020.
The Programme, with an amount of EUR 188.8 million for the years 2014-2020, was established by Regulation (EU) No 254/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council. It was adopted to support the implementation of the policy priorities set out in the European Consumer Agenda - Boosting Confidence and Growth.
The programme builds on the actions funded under the previous programme covering the period 2007-2013. It ensures a smooth transition and a continuation of the multiannual measures while taking into account the mid-term evaluation of the previous programme’s successes and areas requiring more attention.
The purpose of the mid-term evaluation of the Consumer Programme 2014-2020 is to review the achievement of the objectives of all its measures and the state of play regarding the implementation of the eligible actions set out in the Programme.
This evaluation, which was carried out between October 2017 and April 2018, analyses the allocation of funds to the beneficiaries, the efficiency of the use of resources and the Programme's European added value, taking into consideration developments in the area of consumer protection and other consumer-relevant EU policies, with a view to a decision on the renewal, modification or suspension of the actions.
The actions financed under the Consumer Programme 2014-2020 show a large degree of continuity with the previous programme. They have however been re-organised under four key objectives:
- Specific Objective I - Safety;
- Specific Objective II - Consumer information and education, and support to consumer organisations;
- Specific Objective III - Rights and redress;
- Specific Objective IV - Enforcement.
Overall findings
In general, the objectives and priorities of the Consumer Programme are assessed as being still fully relevant and should be continued. Additional priorities could be given to sustainable consumption, to activities that contribute to a uniform and high level of consumer protection throughout the EU, including the support of consumer organisations in their role as consumer watchdogs, separately or jointly with the Member States.
The activities implemented under the Programme have been largely effective in consolidating and enhancing product safety through market surveillance in the EU. The different actions within the Consumer Programme 2014-2020 are coherent and work together.
The EU added value of the Consumer Programme 2014–2040 is overall high. Discontinuation of EU level support would risk resulting in continued wide discrepancies in consumer representation, education and information and to negative perceptions of the EU.
Conclusion and way forward
The report concluded that the Consumer Programme is playing a crucial role in underpinning the EU's Consumer Policy and delivering on concrete actions that are to the benefits of European consumers and concerned stakeholders. This report on the mid-term evaluation of the 2014-2020 Consumer Programme confirms its importance in helping to ensure a high and consistent level of consumer protection across the European Union and to empower consumers as key actors of the Single Market.
With consumer issues becoming increasingly cross-border or even of EU-wide nature, the Programme is also showing its added value through financing actions that ensure a coherent and consistent protection of all European consumers. As changes affecting the EU economy intensify, notably in the face of a growing digitalisation of the market place, the next EU programme in the field of consumer policy will have to become increasingly more agile and able to respond to rapid changes. These findings have been taken into consideration in the framework of the preparation of the next multiannual financial framework (MFF) and the future EU funding programmes.