The PSD-Madeira parliamentary group is calling for legislative changes to ensure that residents of Madeira can purchase goods and services online under conditions comparable to those enjoyed by consumers on mainland Portugal.
The proposal follows a meeting between PSD deputy Bruno Melim and the President of the Portuguese Competition Authority, during which concerns were raised about national and European legislation that the party says fails to reflect the realities of Portugal’s autonomous island regions.
According to a statement, Bruno Melim said hearings held by the Parliamentary Committee on the Economy had highlighted significant shortcomings in the current legal framework, particularly regarding enforcement, sanctions and action against companies that refuse to deliver products to Madeira despite having the means to do so.
“There are companies for which it is still cheaper to refuse an order destined for Madeira than to comply with the law and ensure its shipment,” he said. “This demonstrates that the current system of penalties is insufficient and allows unjustified geographical barriers to persist.”
The deputy also criticised online platforms that offer different products, prices or purchasing conditions depending on the customer’s postcode. According to PSD-Madeira, such practices amount to discrimination that is incompatible with the principles of the European Single Market and the free movement of goods, services and people.
The party has announced that, at the start of the next parliamentary session, it will submit a legislative proposal to the Assembly of the Republic aimed at strengthening enforcement powers, increasing penalties for companies that fail to comply with the law, and preventing retailers from treating customers differently solely because they live in an autonomous region.
“Madeirans cannot continue to be treated as second-class citizens,” Bruno Melim said. “People living in Madeira should enjoy the same access to products, the same prices and the same purchasing conditions as consumers living in Lisbon, Porto, Trás-os-Montes or the Algarve.”
The issue has long been a source of frustration for residents of Madeira and the Azores. Although European Union rules prohibit unjustified geo-blocking and discrimination in many online sales, consumers in the autonomous regions continue to report retailers refusing deliveries, applying disproportionately high shipping charges or restricting access to certain products based solely on their location.
While legitimate differences in transport costs may apply to island deliveries, consumer organisations have repeatedly argued that blanket refusals to supply goods, or different purchasing conditions based on a customer’s postcode, undermine the spirit of the European Single Market and leave island residents at a persistent disadvantage.
Samantha Gannon
info at madeira-weekly.com
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