1996 European Young Consumer Competition

"Environmental awareness must be translated into environmentally-friendly consumer patterns and behaviour: it is becoming increasingly necessary for consumers, especially the younger ones, to be aware of the impact of their behaviour as consumers on the environment... I truly hope that this new edition of the European Young Consumer Competition will encourage them to find ways to take better care of our planet's resources", declared Emma Bonino, European Commissioner responsible for Consumer Affairs.

Indeed, this year's theme of the third edition of the competition, which is now under way:

The Impact of Consumer Behaviour on the Environment

is intended to help young people become environmentally conscious citizens by making them aware of the impact of their daily behaviour as consumers, at school, at home and when shopping.

Youngsters, aged between 12 and 14, in schools throughout the 15 countries of the European Union, will be asked to prepare information material on this topic which they will then be required to present to other young people. After initial selection at national level, a European jury will reward the works which seem best suited to passing on the message of the competition. The two previous editions involved more than 35,000 young people in schools throughout Europe.

The competition is organised by the European Inter-Regional Institute for Consumer Affairs. Entries must be submitted to the national correspondents of this organisation (see attached list of addresses) by 17 January 1996. European Young Consumer Competition

Background

The European Young Consumer competition was created in 1994 as an instrument to promote consumer education in schools throughout the European Union. It is aimed at young people between the ages of 12 - 14 and is intended to encourage them to reflect on their own behaviour and to become more enlightened consumers.

National competitions are held in all the countries of the European Union and the winning team from each country presents its work to a European Jury in Brussels. Participants are required to prepare information material on a consumer topic and this can take the form of posters, slides, video, magazines. Numerous prizes are awarded at national level and the three winning teams at the European Final receive 2,500, 2,000 and 1,500 ECU respectively.

Ireland were the winners of the 1994 competition with a "rap dance" on the theme "Choosing a product". In 1995 the theme chosen was "Young consumers and advertising - how to promote a foodstuff through an advertising message". A Spanish team from the Blasco Ibañez College in Valencia, who had chosen to promote fruit consumption by young people, was awarded the first prize.

National coordinators

Austria

Renate Wagner

Verein für Konsumenteninformation

Mariahilferst. 81

A - 1060 Wien

Tél.: +43 1 587 3514

Fax: +43 1 587 9300

Finland

Pirkko Grönlund

Kuluttajavirasto

Haapaniemenkatu 4A, Box 5

SF - 00531 Helsinki

Tél.: +358 0 77 261

Fax: +358 0 77 26 7557

Sweden

Marianne Örberg

Konsumentverket

Sorterargatan 26, Box 503

S - 162 15 Vällingby

Tél.: +46 8 759 8300

Fax: +46 8 739 3935

Spain

Martin-José Iturriria Goñi

Direccion de Consumo

c/Adriano VI, 14-16

E - 01008 Vitoria-Gasteiz

Tél.: +34 45 18 99 23

Fax: +34 45 18 99 31

Italy

Marino Melissano

Comitato Difesa Consumatori

Sezione Alto Adige

Via Argentieri 22

I - 39100 Bolzano

Tél. & fax: +39 471 97 49 45

Germany

Theo Wolsing

Verbraucher-Zentrale

Nordrhein-Westfalen

Mintropst. 27

D - 40215 Düsseldorf

Tél.: +49 211 38 090 - 115

Fax: +49 211 38 09 172

Belgium

Jean-Marie Béguin

CRIOC

rue des Chevaliers 18

B - 1050 Bruxelles

Tél.: +32 2 547 0611

Fax: +32 2 547 0601

Denmark

Annelise Bredholt

Forbrugerstyrelsen

Amagerfælledvej. 56

DK - 2300 K¢benhavn S

Tél.: +45 31 57 01 00

Fax: +45 32 96 02 32

France

Geneviève Trautmann

CTRC Languedoc Roussillon

18 rue Marceau

F - 34000 Montpellier

Tél.: +33 67 92 63 40

Fax: +33 67 92 64 67

Luxembourg

Clotilde Crestani

Union Luxembourgeoise des

Consommateurs

55 rue des Bruyères

L - 1274 Howald

Tél.: +352 49 60 221

Fax: +352 49 49 57

Portugal

Mario Beja Santos

Instituto do Consumidor

Praça do Duque de Saldanha 31, 3

P - 1000 Lisboa

Tél.: +351 1 54 40 25

Fax: +351 1 52 24 10

Ireland

Celestine Nolan

Office of the Director of Consumer Affairs

Shelbourne House, Shelbourne Road

Ballsbridge

IRL - Dublin 4

Tél.: +353 1 661 44 44 ext. 2938

Fax: +353 1 660 67 63

United Kingdom

Bruce Collier

Director of Community Protection

South Ayrshire Council

PO Box 1996

Wellington Square

Ayr, Scotland

UK - KA7 1DS

Tél.: +44 1 292 612 109

Fax: +44 1 292 612 159

Netherlands

Erik Van Rijn van Alkemade

Consumentenbond

Leeghwaterplein 26

NL - 2521 CU Den Haag

Tél.: +31 70 38 47 449

ou +31 70 38 47 428

Fax: +31 70 38 41 282

Greece

George Pavlikakis

43-45 Valtetsiou str

GR - Athens 10681

Tel.: +30 1 330 0673

Fax: +30 1 330 0591

or:

Richard Delpierre

IEIC

79 rue Gantois

F - 59000 Lille

Tel.: +33 20 21 92 55

Fax: +33 20 54 18 45