Local MEP to Lead on Consumer Affairs

Friday, April 17th, 2015
Daniel Dalton MEP

Daniel Dalton MEP

Daniel Dalton MEP has been named Conservative  in the European Parliament.

The West Midlands MEP will lead for the Party on issues such as trading standards, product safety, fake goods and fair business practice.

Mr Dalton said, “I am proud to be handed this important portfolio, an area which affects people’s lives directly at home in the West Midlands and right across Europe.  My priority will be to make sure consumers and traders get a fair deal, wherever they are and whether they do business face to face or online.

“I also want this approach to be balanced with common sense in the EU.  Over-zealous regulation only ends up punishing the consumers it is supposed to protect, either by skewing competition or restricting choice.  The healthiest approach to consumer protection is to make sure shoppers get all the information they need to make an informed choice – then let them decide how they spend their money.

“However, where products are downright dangerous we must act to take them out of circulation.  In fact Conservative MEPs have already achieved notable successes by banning harmful toys and changing design regulations to prevent some household fittings such as window blinds becoming death-traps for infants.

“I want to build on those achievements, because consumer confidence is not only good for the public but also essential to a prospering economy. Unless people feel safe from sharks and rip-off merchants, they will not have the confidence to part with their hard earned cash.”