1st European Conference on Injury Prevention and Safety Promotion

1. 1st European Conference on Injury Prevention and Safety Promotion Safety of consumer services in Europe: The challenges, opportunities and priorities Vienna, 25-27 June 2006 Nina Klemola, ANEC Project Manager

2. Contents • ANEC in brief • Current situation and priorities in the EU • ANEC position • Services standardisation • Enforcement and market surveillance Nina Klemola, ANEC Project Manager

3. ANEC in brief • Since 1995 • Federation of European consumer organisations • Funded by EC and EFTA • Member of the European standards bodies • Seven priority areas, including services, child safety and ’design for all’ Nina Klemola, ANEC Project Manager

4. Current situation • No horizontal legislative framework in EU for safety of services or liability of service providers • Except: transport, fire safety in hotels • 1990: Proposal for Directive on service liability • Proposal withdrawn in 1994 • Some MS have extended application of GPSD to services • Services Directive (art. 31) encourages MS to take voluntary measures (Charters, standards) • Intention to address services via standardisation Nina Klemola, ANEC Project Manager

5. EC priorities • Priority areas: • Safety of tourism services (accommodation) • Safety of leisure and sports services • Data collection on accidents & injuries • Improve IDB (feasibility study by end of 2006) • Develop additional sources of information • Improved knowledge base to serve as basis for future action Nina Klemola, ANEC Project Manager

6. Data collection • Welcome increased data collection • Difficulties: • Varied nature of services • Causation • Third party involvement • Member State cooperation is key Nina Klemola, ANEC Project Manager

7. ANEC position • Too important to be left solely to self-regulation by industry • Need horizontal legal framework at EU level for safety (’GSSD’) • Standards only to underpin such legislation • Call for EC legislation on service liability (~ Product Liability Directive) Nina Klemola, ANEC Project Manager

8. New Approach • Since 1985 • Aimed at removing technical barriers to trade & simplifying product legislation → also improves product safety • New Approach Directives set essential safety requirements → specific solutions via standards Nina Klemola, ANEC Project Manager

9. Services standardisation • Review of New Approach to extend principles to services, but: → must renew standardisation system → no over-arching legal framework for services • Rules and rights of stakeholders to be reinforced • All service standards should include: • Clear safety requirements • Means on how to assess those requirements are met in practice Nina Klemola, ANEC Project Manager

10. Services standardisation... • Priority areas for ANEC: • Tourism • Leisure services (skiing, swimming pools, extreme sports, amusement parks) • Health/beauty services (beauty parlous, spas, fitness centres, tattoo parlours) • Repair, installation/maintenance services • Main issues to be addressed: • Information provision • Personnel competence & training • Hygiene (if applicable) • Medical history checks (if applicable) Nina Klemola, ANEC Project Manager

11. Enforcement • Legislation and standards useless unless properly enforced • Market surveillance to be improved → EC to establish European market control strategy Nina Klemola, ANEC Project Manager

12. Conclusions • Call for horizontal legislation for service safety and service liability • Stricter market surveillance mechanisms and enforcement of standards/legislation • Fair and equal participation of all stakeholders in standardisation process Nina Klemola, ANEC Project Manager