EU consumer affairs commissioner, Bulgarian Meglena Kuneva, set out more than 20 legislative and non legislative initiatives to boost the retail side of the Single Market by 2013.

"The new Consumer Strategy 2007-2013 aims to boost confidence in the Single Market so that consumers can shop freely across borders - travelling or online - to get the best price, the best quality and for the product best suited to their needs," an official statement of the European Commission said.

The strategy envisages a comprehensive overhaul of cross border shopping rights, an in-depth assessment of how best to strengthen consumer collective redress; new proposals to strengthen the Timeshare Directive; and a pledge to open the market for better cross border deals for credit.

"With this Strategy we aim to awake a sleeping giant, the retail side of the Single Market," Kuneva said.

"The new tools are there for a dramatic evolution in the cross border market, but consumer behaviour is lagging behind. I want to build trust in the market and give people more choice and value for money. I want a citizen in Birmingham to feel as comfortable shopping for a digital camera from a website in Berlin or Budapest as they would in their high street."

The strategy is built on five pillars - cross border shopping rights, systems for redress and enforcement, safe markets, making consumer outcomes the focus of EU policies and better information for the consumers.

Consumer spending represents 58% of EU GDP.

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