Tag: consumers
Green Santa is coming to town – a year clamping down on greenwashing
BEUC has been involved in fighting greenwashing for many years and 2023 was the year where we stepped up our game. We expanded our effort cross-teams, looking at different areas of consumers’ lives and how we can make them free...
Sandra Lima, BEUC Consumer Rights Team, BEUC Consumer Redress and Enforcement Team, BEUC Sustainability Team and BEUC Food Team /
December 20, 2023
Taking on the bank – Lessons from using, not abusing, our group action system.
After four years, countless hours and 1.42 million euros spent, we won the biggest group action suit in the history of our country against Norway’s biggest bank. The cheers were many, but so were the lessons. Background In 2015, The...
Behind the frosty glass: the EU’s Unfair Contract Terms Directive as a tool for justice in the modern financial sector
An EU directive about what is an unfair contract term is proving really helpful when it comes to protecting consumers in finance.
US-style litigation culture? Only if you like alternative facts!
The howls of protest from business groups could be heard across Europe. On 11 April, the Commission proposed to make collective compensation claims possible when large numbers of consumers have been harmed by the same trader. Cue uproar and...
Collective redress for European consumers – yes, we can
I was sitting back in a train from Strasbourg to Brussels in early spring 1998. Looking at the landscape in a train often gives you the distance you need to analyse something happening in your life. I was a young...
Technology to the rescue of finance?
Enter ‘Fintech’ into your favourite search engine. You will discover a whole universe of new technologies, companies and services, all set to revolutionise the way consumers manage their personal financial life. Smart apps and on-line platforms offer consumers tailored banking,...
Why digital can’t replace cash
We live in a digital era where smartphones rule. These intelligent devices offer consumers instant and convenient access to information, services, shopping, banking and payments. So a logical question is to ask whether banknotes and coins still have a role...
Chaos and disorder in copyright law – happy #WorldIPDay!
Many of us are mourning the loss of Prince, one of the world’s great music talents. What most of us don’t know is that he was also a champion of copyright enforcement. On the 16th edition of World Intellectual Property...
The EU’s net neutrality rules: an unfinished business
A few months ago, the EU institutions finally adopted the first ever European net neutrality law. Following several years of fierce debates, European leaders realised the importance of protecting one of the most fundamental principles of the internet. The EU follows...
For better or for worse? The Commission and its ‘better regulation’ agenda
One of the Juncker Commission’s favourite catchphrases is to deliver ‘better regulation for better results.’ At the same time, it claims it will serve citizens and restore confidence in the European Union project. Unfortunately, recent developments suggest it is struggling...