Bratislava to host consumer protection summit in mid-October

A consumer summit that will mainly focus on double quality standards of food and unfair trading practices should take place in Bratislava in mid-October, stated Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico after a joint session of the Slovak and Czech Cabinets at Lednice Castle in the Czech Republic. "Sometimes there's a need to take more serious action than just visiting the Brussels headquarters and meeting the European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker. We want to make it clear that these days it's not only a matter of foodstuffs; it's also about construction materials and drug products. For us, dual quality isn't a legal problem; for us it's a serious political problem - a problem of a double approach towards EU citizens. We refuse to eat, drink and use second-class products. We want the same quality of products as any other country in the EU," said Fico, adding that the two countries want to invite to the upcoming summit relevant European commissioners, representatives of relevant committees from national parliaments and the European Parliament as well as important European and national consumer institutions.

According to Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka, the issue of double quality standards for foodstuffs has become part of the European agenda. "I'm convinced that the summit in Slovakia, if organised rapidly, will help us to keep pace with finding a solution to the issue. It will be a good place where the EC will be able to present its specific plans, a place where representatives of the EP and individual member states will be able to comment on them," said Sobotka, adding that the summit might help to find specific solutions to the issue.