12 October 2011 - Response to the Questionnaire for stakeholders on the application of Directive 2005/29/EC on Unfair Commercial Practices (UCPD)
efamro, together with ESOMAR, responded to the European Commission’s consultation on the UCPD. The organisations asked the Commission to clarify the directive to to ensure that sugging (selling under the guise of market research) and frugging (fund-raising under the guise of market research) are banned in the EU.
The essence of sugging and frugging is that the trader claims or creates the impression that they are not acting for purposes relating to their trade or profession, i.e., they are acting in the capacity of researchers not traders. Therefore EFAMRO and ESOMAR believe that sugging and frugging are within the scope of this banned commercial practice which, under the Directive, is in all circumstances considered unfair.
The full response is available below.
18 April 2011 - Response to the Green Paper on the modernisation of EU public procurement policy
efamro, together with ESOMAR, responded to the European Commission’s Green Paper on the modernisation of EU public policy.
The Green Paper is a wide ranging document and poses over 100 questions seeking views on different aspects of the public procurement system. In summary, in the response
efamro called for reductions in administrative burdens; flexible, simplified and standardised procedures; and recommended that procurement frameworks should ensure that contracting authorities can set minimum standards for products or services such as
- that the supplier adheres to a relevant code of conduct or practice, or other self-regulatory scheme where applicable
- that the supplier has obtained a relevant quality assurance standard, such as ISO or CEN
The full response is available below.
29 November 2010 - Response to Public Sector Information Consultation
efamro, together with ESOMAR, responded to the European Commission’s recent public consultation on the need to update the reuse of public sector information law in the EU.
In summary, the response makes the following points,
- PSI is a valuable source of information on the general population and businesses, which can be used for sampling and for verifying research findings;
- efamro and ESOMAR do not believe that PSI re-use has yet reached its full potential, and further measures to help re-use should be supported;
- efamro and ESOMAR believe that free access should be available for non-commercial activities such as research;
- Making all public sector information which is already publicly accessible re-usable will in the long term reduce the administrative burden on public authorities and private organisations, and increase the flow of information to encourage the growth of a knowledge based economy;
- This will also have the benefit of not over burdening citizens by repeatedly asking them for the same information.