How Google is eroding consumers’ freedom to choose
Google hit the headlines last year when the European Commission fined the tech giant €2.42 billion for breaching EU antitrust rules. It has been argued the European Commission has over-stepped the line here. After all, if people like and use...
When medicines cost an arm and a leg. And an eye
Last week, a pharmaceutical company was accused of intentionally inflating the price of one of its medicines by 2,000%[1]. Does this kind of news seem like déjà vu? Most probably, because escalating medicine prices are getting more and more coverage....
Consumer greetings from Buenos Aires: My days at the WTO Ministerial Conference
Last week, the 164 members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) convened in Buenos Aires for their biannual ministerial conference. Although expectations before the conference were low, they were undercut by the actual outcomes. Most countries had hoped for fresh...
For warmer homes and less energy poverty in the EU
Daniel helps a family stay warm with some clever tricks. Sticking bubble wrap around the windows is one option to keep the cold out of the house. But these are short-term fixes, not long-term solutions. And winters are cold in...
Consumers can save fuel and money if the EU goes the full mile on CO2 targets for cars
On 8 November, the European Commission published its much-awaited “Europe on the Move” legislative package. In the Commission’s own words, it wants to “reaffirm Europe’s leadership in fighting climate change and the Commission’s endeavour to empower Europe’s citizens and defend...
Bite your lip! Your balm may contain unsafe oils
Winter is here, with its cold temperatures and biting winds. Your skin may start to feel dry and itchy, and your lips may become chapped. For many of us, this is the season to slather on moisturising lip balms: we...
e-Privacy and the doorstep salesmen
In the European lobby city, Brussels, foes of strong e-Privacy rules have spread the term “consent fatigue”. Behind this phrase is the ‘concern’ of the advertising industry that since consumers have to give their consent – for snooping on them...
No. The EU does NOT want to ban your chips
Recently, headlines in Germany and Austria might have made you shiver with fear: “The. EU. Wants. To. Ban. Crispy. Chips”. No less! The same EU which dictates the shape of our bananas and cucumbers [1] is now meddling with our...
Making ‘open trade’ and the global market work for EU consumers
“Open trade must go hand in hand with open policy making,” Jean-Claude Juncker said in his annual State of the Union speech last week. With this statement he kicked-off changes in the way the European Commission conducts trade negotiations. His...
What the fipronil egg crisis tells us about the pitfalls of open markets
Looking back at the summer of 2017, two things people will probably remember are the summer hit Despacito and the egg crisis. When it comes to the eggs the short version goes like this: In July, Belgian authorities alerted their...