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We need to improve our knowledge of risks related to specific consumer services.
The service sector
The service
sector is the driving force of
economic growth in the EU: it
accounts for around 70% of GDP
and employment in the majority
of Member States.
Services are
to be found in all areas of
modern economies. They range
from traditional demand-based
service sectors such as
transport, telecommunications,
tourism and the regulated
professions, to more recently
developed services such as
waste management, energy
conservation, business services
and data processing.
Safety rules
Some specific
services involve risks to the
health and physical safety of
the consumer, for example,
injuries caused by a lack of
information, poor supervision
of organised adventurous sports
activities or skin damage by
beauty treatment.
At the moment,
many safety rules for services
are set at national level. The
transport sector is an example
of a sector for which many
rules also exist at European
level.
Information is needed
It is as yet
unclear whether it is necessary
to harmonise the safety rules
for services in general at EU
level.
A Report
on the Safety of Services for
Consumers concluded that
there is not sufficient data
and information on risk and
safety aspects of services.
Consequently, the priority for
Community action is first of
all to improve the
knowledge
base.
Service
sectors of particular
interest
The following
areas have attracted specific
interest in recent years:
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