Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)

We have raised our concerns at official level in the strongest and most forthright terms. We relayed them at meetings of the Competitiveness Council in December 2009 and May 2010. I have spoken to Vice-President Reding about our concerns with regard to consumer protection. I emphasise that this is just a proposal - a draft directive as opposed to a directive that would have to be implemented by national parliaments across the EU. We are conscious of the need to ensure there is strong protection for consumers. That is something we are advocating at all levels. Mr. Andreas Schwab, who is the rapporteur of the European Parliament committee on the internal market and consumer protection is conscious that the proposal is not in line with the observations of some member states. It would dilute consumer rights, such as the right to return being the first recourse, as opposed to a secondary recourse. We will raise these issues again in due course.

See this speech in context