The consumer-policy nuts and bolts of the sharing economy
The sharing economy is a phenomenon which profoundly changes the way consumers buy or rent goods and services. It also allows consumers to enter the market to provide goods, services, time or skills themselves and become – what we call...
Big data, smart enforcement
Last week I spoke at a conference which was jointly organised by the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) and BEUC. Its motto hit the nail on the head: how can privacy rights be enforced in an era where big data...
Why eating right is an everyday challenge
Everyone is back to their pre-summer routine: back to school, back to work, back to stress. Does that mean a return to bad eating habits? It might not, if you can resist putting that sugar-laden cereal bar in your shopping...
Society wins as Europe moves to protect an open internet
A few days ago, European regulators issued a set of historic rules which frame the future of internet access in Europe. These rules clarify how Europe’s recent net neutrality law, a sometimes unclear text which was issued at the end...
When drug approval is quick, it should not be dirty
Imagine you or a loved one have a disease. It can be treated, but only with a new medicine that is not yet available. The time it normally takes for a new drug to reach the market means it might...
Did TTIP push the EU to scrap precaution on endocrine disruptors?
Last month, the European Commission broke a promise it had made to you and all other EU citizens. The promise? That the EU will not trade away the ’precautionary principle’ to strike a trade deal with the United States (known...
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 we must stop geo-blocking for audiovisual services
Geo-blocking is perhaps the most controversial element of the European Commission’s Digital Single Market agenda because it is about challenging a status quo. In an article recently published in POLITICO Europe, Michael Ryan, chairman of the Independent Film and Television...
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...
Can consumers easily produce their own electricity?
For 80% of households in Europe, it would be cheaper to produce their own electricity than to purchase it from an electricity company. How? By installing solar panels. And just imagine how much cleaner the energy market would be if...