MEPs questioned Mr Dalli on many consumer issues and this included the question of collective redress - potentially of great signifcance to financial services.
Dalli CV, written questions
The Commissioner-designate for Health and Consumer Policy told MEPs during his hearing that his vision would be that "European Citizens live a longer and healthier life" and that he wanted "well-informed consumers who can take educated decisions on the goods and services they consume". Furthermore, a focus on prevention would be necessary to secure sustainability in the health sector.
During the discussion MEPs from the environment, public health and food safety, internal market and consumer protection and agriculture committees, questioned Mr Dalli on issues such as patient rights, the pharmaceutical package, legislation on food derived from cloned animals, genetically modified organisms, the proposal on food information for consumers, protection of children and the question of collective redress.
Patients rights to be put first in the pharma package
Asked by Peter Liese (EPP, DE), whether he intended to add changes or additions to the proposed Pharma package, he said he intended to move forward quickly with the two non-controversial parts of the package (pharmacovigilance and falsified medical products) but that the third part, on information to patients, would have to be reassessed to "bring more patient perspective in the proposal".
Replying to a question by Marina Yannakoudakis (ECR, UK) on how to strike a balance between the needs of patients and the industry, he said that he wanted to put patients first, but that this did "not exclude a strong commitment that the pharma industry remains competitive".
He agreed with Glenis Willmott (S&D, UK) that the health perspective needs to be paramount but added that it would be possible eventually to achieve a "win-win situation". To put forward the patient's perspective he would rely on MEP and patient organisations, which "should be properly supported". There was a need for new ideas for funding them, he added, in a reply to Peter Liese.
Antonyia Parvanova (ALDE, BG) raised the issues of counterfeit medicines and on-line trade in medicines and consultations. On the first point, Mr Dalli said that counterfeits are "not only a danger to consumers but also to innovation". On the second, he said "I will work hard to ensure that the same controls which apply to the off-line world also apply to the on-line one".
Information is the key to empowering consumers - the earlier the better
Mr Dalli would be tough on issues like alcohol, smoking and obesity, he said, in reply to a question by Linda Mc Avan (S&D, UK) about his legacy after five years. The key would be informing citizens, not imposing legislation on them. He added that "the earlier we get at children, the better it is" and that "proper budgets are needed".
Replying to a question by Renate Sommers (EPP, DE) about negotiations on the food information issue, he said that the aim is to "empower the consumer" - consumers "must be informed so that they can decide for themselves what is good or bad for them", then added: "I would not want to tell them what to eat, but what they are eating".
"I am the consumer's guardian in the college"
Mr Dalli said he would be responsible for co-ordinating consumer issues within the Commission and would ensure that any proposal had an input from a consumer angle. "I am the consumer's guardian in the college", he said, in reply to concerns voiced by Evelyne Gebhardt (S&D, DE), about a fragmentation of consumer protection rights in the area of services.
GMOs - independent scientific advice necessary
Asked by Corinne Lepage (ALDE, FR) on how he would deal with the treatment of GMOs, Dalli said that "the basis of our decisions is science", but that it would be "extra important to ensure that the advice given is independent". He would study the possibility of regular reviews of independence in the different agencies.
On the issue of labelling GMO feed, as requested by Parliament, Mr Dalli promised, in reply to a question by Michail Tremopoulos' (Greens/EFA, EL), "to actively consider and discuss every aspect of the problem".
Collective redress
Louis Grech (S&D, MT) asked Mr Dalli to give his views on collective redress, an issue touched upon by the Commissioner-designate in his opening remarks. Mr Dalli said that he believed that "there is not only the will but also a movement for this" and that he would work together with other Commissioners to develop the legislation.
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