SME Chamber President meets MDB Officials
22 April 2024
Malta Chamber of SMEs President Mr Paul Abela met MDB Chairman Leo Brincat and CEO...
Boosting confidence and growth requires cooperation between businesses and consumers
28 May 2012
GRTU welcomes the objectives of the European Commission's Communication on a European Consumer Agenda, which acknowledges the importance of empowering consumers and boosting their trust in the Internal Market. Customers are the lifeblood of reputable, reliable traders, and meeting consumer needs is the purpose of their business.
Going well beyond the minimum legal requirements is the key to retail success and it plays an important role in giving individual businesses a competitive edge in a highly competitive market place. Competition helps consumers get a good deal, and drives innovation and productivity. Strong competition results in controlled inflation and increased quality and choice.
As the closest link in the chain to the consumer, any measure taken in the field of consumer protection/safety, has impact on businesses. Therefore, GRTU stresses the importance of a framework within which businesses and consumers can work together with the EU institutions to meet the needs and address the concerns of both consumers and businesses. This is the way to produce reasonable and workable solutions, rather than treating them as two separate and opposing groups.
We are pleased that the Commission acknowledges the importance of better enforcement of existing consumer legislation. Without proper enforcement, consumers will not be able to fully benefit from the advantages put in place for them. It will only drive down innovation, consumer choice and drive up prices. Both consumers and businesses need to be educated and informed so they are aware of their rights and duties.
