Activities of Maria da Graça CARVALHO related to 2020/2021(INI)
Plenary speeches (2)
Towards a more sustainable single market for business and consumers (continuation of debate)
The gender perspective in the COVID-19 crisis and post-crisis period - The EU Strategy for Gender Equality - Closing the digital gender gap: women’s participation in the digital economy (debate)
Amendments (53)
Amendment 3 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 18
Citation 18
Amendment 5 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 19
Citation 19
Amendment 6 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 20 a (new)
Citation 20 a (new)
- having regard to the report entitled ‘Stärkung eines nachhaltigen Konsums im Bereich Produktnutzung durch Anpassungen im Zivil- und öffentlichen Recht’, published in May 2015 by the German Federal Environment Agency,
Amendment 28 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas consumers are ready to embark on the journey towards a circular economy, but many obstacles remain, including, firstly, information asymmetry;
Amendment 48 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F
Recital F
F. whereas public procurement is a strategic tool that can be usedcontribute, together with other important policies, to supporting Europe’s industrial fabricy in its transition to a more sustainable single market;
Amendment 52 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital G
Recital G
G. whereas advertising is used to persuade consumers to buy more, and this has environmental repercussiona strategic asset of the internal market that can help consumers make informed choices;
Amendment 57 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital G a (new)
Recital G a (new)
Ga. whereas sectoral EU policies are instrumental for the transition to a more sustainable single market and effective enforcement of already existing legislation is a crucial added value in this transition;
Amendment 65 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital G c (new)
Recital G c (new)
Gc. whereas even for the same product, different approaches may be needed over time in response to market evolution and technological evolution, a one-size-fits-all horizontal approach to product lifetime is unlikely to be effective;
Amendment 69 #
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 1
Subheading 1
Consumer rights and clamping down on premature obsolescenceincreasing product durability
Amendment 77 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph -1 (new)
Paragraph -1 (new)
-1. Believes that a market approach to a circular economy enabling innovation and development of sustainable technology has the greatest potential for success, and that the legal framework should incentivise companies to make the transition; encourages the Commission and Member States to refrain from ineffective restrictions and sanctions, and instead create rules that promote sustainable solutions;
Amendment 78 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph -1 a (new)
Paragraph -1 a (new)
-1a. Points out that sectoral EU policies differentiated by categories of products are instrumental for the transition to a more sustainable single market and that horizontal strategies applying indiscriminately to all products cannot be effective in this context;
Amendment 79 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph -1 b (new)
Paragraph -1 b (new)
-1b. Reminds that effective enforcement of already existing legislation is a basic precondition for a well-functioning and more sustainable single market; further notes the importance of Better Regulation Principles and underlines that any new legislative proposal, or revision of existing legislation, needs to be supported by impact assessments; in this context calls on the Commission to use all available tools to this aim before presenting new legislative proposals;
Amendment 81 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – introductory part
Paragraph 1 – introductory part
1. Calls on the Commission to devise a horizontal strategyaluate possible sectoral strategies, taking into account different categories of products, that can includes measures to:
Amendment 85 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point a
Paragraph 1 – point a
a) specify theassess if pre-contractual information to be provided on the durability and reparability of a product and make this one of the main characteristics of a product pursuant to Directives 2011/83/EU and 2005/29/ECcan be provided for some product categories in a proportionate way without becoming an overload for consumers, making sure stakeholders are involved in the development of these measures,
Amendment 94 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point b
Paragraph 1 – point b
b) introduce mandatory labelling, on the basis of common transparent standards, which, for comparison purposes, informs consumers at the time of purchase of the estimated lifetimeencourage standardisation and harmonisation of voluntary sustainability labels and other consumer information frameworks with the aim to provide more relevant and accessible information for consumers at the time of purchase regarding the environmental footprint of a product and sets out the options for repair, while minimising regulatory burdens on SMEs,
Amendment 100 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point b a (new)
Paragraph 1 – point b a (new)
ba) reinforce the role of the EU Ecolabel through efforts to increase industry uptake and raise awareness among consumers,
Amendment 101 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point b b (new)
Paragraph 1 – point b b (new)
bb) conduct an inquiry to review the effects of existing consumer information requirements; evaluate potential to streamline, simplify and rationalise consumer information on sustainability with the aim to increase accessibility for consumers, enable easy comparison between products and reduce bureaucracy for businesses, especially SMEs,
Amendment 103 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point c
Paragraph 1 – point c
c) equip cervaluate if equipment such as usage meters could be an added value for facilitating reuse of products and assess what categories of goods could be equipped with a usage meter to facilitate reufor this purpose,
Amendment 112 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point d
Paragraph 1 – point d
d) bring the duration of legal guarantees and periods of presumed conformity into line with the estimated lifetime of products and harmonise these at European levelexplore the role that the producer’s commercial guarantee of durability can play in providing more circular products in the context of the review of Directive 2019/771 that is foreseen by 2024,
Amendment 119 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 – point f
Paragraph 1 – point f
Amendment 130 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 – point a
Paragraph 2 – point a
a) security updates must continue throughout the estimated lifetime of the device, and for a minimum of five years,the availability of security updates over time must be ensured according to Directive 2019/771. Any revision, including the relevant time frame for the provision of the updates, should be done within the review of this Directive and should take into account the type and purpose of the goods as well as the circumstances and nature of the sales contract;
Amendment 150 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Points out that consumers are all too often ill-should be informed about their rights and means of redress; calls for funding for measures to address this asymmetry of information and offer consumer associations support with their initiativencourages Member States to carry out information campaigns in cooperation with consumer organisations to address a potential lack of information and raise awareness about the implications of buying from third country consumer platforms selling less sustainable products non-compliant with EU legislation at much lower prices;
Amendment 154 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Stresses that rules which apply to the EU market also must be enforced when companies from third countries sell directly to European consumers; points out that products from outside the EU often fail to comply with EU sustainability and safety legislation, obstructing the transition to a circular economy. Calls on the Commission and Member States to urgently take action to ensure a level playing field for EU companies within the internal market by controlling that third country companies comply with the EU aquis i.e. through improved market surveillance for e-commerce;
Amendment 171 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Calls for the following information to be given at the time of purchase: whether spare parts are available or not, period of availability from date of purchase, price of spare parts, delivery and repair timesinformation on reparability and availability of spare parts to be given at the time of purchase for certain specific product categories where this is relevant, proportionate and technically feasible;
Amendment 176 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 – introductory part
Paragraph 5 – introductory part
5. Calls on the Commission to establish a consumers’ right to repair with a view to making repairs systematic and affordavaluate objective and proportionate criteria for assessing the potential reparability of certain product categories with a view to making repairs a more attractive option for consumers where this is relevant and technically feasible:
Amendment 181 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 – point a
Paragraph 5 – point a
a) by guaranteeing unrestricted access to repair and maintenance information and spare parts for all those involved in the repair industry and all consumersiving access to relevant information concerning repairs, maintenance and spare parts to independent repairers, whilst respecting intellectual property and trade secrets legislation,
Amendment 186 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 – point b
Paragraph 5 – point b
b) by imposencouraging standardisation of spare parts, for the sake of interoperability where technically possible and relevant, for the sake of interoperability, whilst respecting intellectual property and trade secrets legislation, and upholding product safety requirements and competition law,
Amendment 191 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 – point c
Paragraph 5 – point c
Amendment 202 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 – point d
Paragraph 5 – point d
d) encouraging repair over replacement by extendingwelcoming the use of commercial guarantees for consumers who choose this optionon spare parts replaced,
Amendment 205 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 – point e
Paragraph 5 – point e
e) facilitating repairs by establishing, at EU level, a legal guarantee covering the repair of goods no longer under guaranteeexploring the potential to prioritise repair over replacement in the remedies hierarchy in the context of the review of Directive 2019/771 that is foreseen by 2024, provided it is legally and factually possible and does not impose disproportionate costs on the seller;
Amendment 218 #
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 3
Subheading 3
Amendment 221 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Calls for a ban onmarket based strategy to minimise and discourage the destruction of unsold goods in working order so that they can be reused instead, and for quantified targets to b, addressing legal obstacles to reuse and donation, to encourage more effective and sustainable uset for reuse of resources;
Amendment 230 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Points out that transferring the guarantee in the event of the resale of a product which is still covered wcould boost consumer confidence in this market, and calls for guarantees to be linked to the item rather than the buyeron the Commission to examine to what extent the first-time buyer’s guarantee claims against the seller could be transferred to each additional buyer in the event of a sale;
Amendment 233 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Calls for a system of extended guarantees for reconditioned goods to be introduced on a broad scale, to supplement the initial legal guarantees, in order to support consumers and prevent malpracticeEncourages businesses to offer commercial guarantees on spare parts replaced to a greater extent;
Amendment 240 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. WelcomEncourages the development of commercial models that separate consumption from material ownership, such as leasing and product-as-a-service, and calls for a robust assessment of the impact of the functionality economy and itsefficiency gains and their potential rebound effects;
Amendment 243 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Paragraph 9 a (new)
9a. Highlights the role of the service sector in increasing accessibility and affordability of repairs, leasing and product-as-a-service; calls on the Commission to evaluate how a more harmonised internal market for services can contribute to the transition to a more sustainable single market;
Amendment 250 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 b (new)
Paragraph 9 b (new)
9b. Notes that some national legislations make it impossible to bind consumers to long-term contracts, rendering the leasing of certain products unprofitable, calls for harmonisation of leasing legislation with the aim to make it a viable alternative for consumers;
Amendment 253 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 c (new)
Paragraph 9 c (new)
9c. Calls on the Commission to strengthen the internal market for secondary raw material through targeted efforts to identify and remove barriers to trade and improve enforcement of the Waste Shipment Regulation;
Amendment 254 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 d (new)
Paragraph 9 d (new)
Amendment 257 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 – introductory part
Paragraph 10 – introductory part
10. Welcomes the announcement of a common database and of a ‘product passport’ to improve traceability and transparencyaccess to information; calls for these tools to be developed in close collaboration with industry in such a way as to:
Amendment 268 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 – point d
Paragraph 10 – point d
d) involve the adoption of guidelines and ambitious minimum standards on data exchange and protection, to be applied to both business-to-business transactions and business-to-consumer transactions, thereby significantly improving product traceability, whilst ensuring that such requirements are proportionate and in line with intellectual property rights and competition legislation;
Amendment 270 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 – point d a (new)
Paragraph 10 – point d a (new)
da) take into account the proportionality and costs for businesses, especially SMEs;
Amendment 278 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Takes note of digital technologies’ contribution to innovation and in forging a more circular economy; calls for derogaton the Commissions to be made from intellectual property law to allow full use to be made of suchincrease funding of research and innovation in sustainable technologies when in the public interest, for example during a health crisisnew multiannual financial framework;
Amendment 279 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
Amendment 287 #
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 5
Subheading 5
Amendment 290 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Takes the view that public procurement should be central toan important part of the EU’s economic recovery plan, in line with the European Green Deal; calls for absolute priority to be givenon the Commission to, within the context of the existing legislative framework, improve guidance to stimulatinge demand for eco-innovative goods and services with a smaller environmental footprint and ensuring access for small and medium- sized enterprises by introducing, inter alia, preferential award criteria;
Amendment 295 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 a (new)
Paragraph 13 a (new)
13a. Calls on the Commission to improve guidance on Public Procurement with the aim to facilitate more sustainable purchasing;
Amendment 297 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 b (new)
Paragraph 13 b (new)
13b. Encourages EU institutions to lead by example when it comes to public procurement and publish targets and statistics related to the environmental impact of their purchasing;
Amendment 303 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
Amendment 318 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Recommends tight policcareful monitoring of the environmental claims made by manufacturers and distributors before a product or service is placed on the market and tougher penalties for misleading claims, through the applicationthrough effective enforcement of Directive 2005/29/EC;
Amendment 331 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
Amendment 341 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
Amendment 350 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19