European Social ObservatoryAfter work seminary13 January 2015Economic Crisis and Austerity in Southern Europe : Threat or Opportunity for building a sustainable Welfare State?

AK Europa, ÖGB Europabüro & OSE Seminar on“Economic Crisis and Austerity in Southern Europe: Threat or Opportunity for building a sustainable Welfare State?”Brussels 13 January 2015

After work Seminar organized bythe European Social Observatory,AK Europa and ÖGB EuropabüroPermanent Representation of Austria to the EUBrussels, 13 January 2015

Unfortunately, it has to be said from the point of view of Austrian consumer protection that the Commission has only provided for insignificant improvements and amendments. For example, the proposed expansion of the scope to so-called “one-leg transactions” and the application of Title III on payment services within the EU - independent of the currency - are of course to be welcomed.

On 13 November 2013, the European Commission ushered in the European semester 2014 with the Annual Growth Survey (AGS). In parallel to this, the Commission also published the draft Joint Employment Report, the report on the integration of the Single Market and the 2014 Alert Mechanism Report (AMR).

Bank advertising on the Internet about credit products often entails offering interested consumers the use of the bank’s own interactive calculator to calculate loan or lease instalments for the desired amount of financing.

An analysis of the content of 40 key investor information documents from Austrian investment companies to determine whether they are complete and understandable.

AK is very concerned about the various proposals on EU-level to introduce a new system of preferential State aid treatment for subsidies in favour of nuclear power.

The AK requests that any conclusion of negotiations in respect of an investment agreement with China will be tied to the requirement that China adheres to these obligations...

AK welcomes the proposed directive of the Commission because regulatory measures for payment accounts are in line with consumer policy demands AK has been advocating for years.