The European Union's Single Market is home to 450 million consumers who benefit from solid protection frameworks. The emergence of a world pandemic and the ever-growing prevalence of e-commerce have brought new challenges that require fresh approaches to consumer protection.  

Competitiveness and simplification have become central themes of the current Commission’s mandate, aiming to ensure that the EU maintains its global relevance – both politically and economically. But how can competitiveness, simplification and consumer protection go hand in hand, while preserving the high standards EU consumers expect?

As the European Commission unveils its Consumer Agenda 2025-2030, BEUC will convene a high-level event to set the pace for a future-proof consumer roadmap in a rapidly evolving digital and economic landscape.

This conference will be moderated by Jack Parrock, journalist, news correspondent, presenter and conference moderator.

Key questions to address include:

• What priorities should the Consumer Agenda 2025-2030 tackle first?
• What lessons can be drawn from current consumer law enforcement and where can it be improved?
• How can policymakers ensure the upcoming Digital Fairness Act guarantees better online protection for consumers?
• As consumer habits evolve, how can the EU respond to emerging challenges such as unsafe products or influencer marketing?

Programme:

10:00: Welcome remarks 

10:05: Panel discussion - The Consumer Agenda 2025-2030: turning expectations into reality (with Q&A)

Guiding questions: 

• In what ways does this new Consumer Agenda reflect consumers’ evolving priorities?
• How can the 2030 Consumer Agenda be turned into reality? Which priorities should be tackled first?
• What tools should the EU Commission develop to ensure these priorities see the light of day? 

Confirmed panellists: 

• Tine Nielsen Hertz, State Secretary for International Affairs, Ministry for Business, Industry and Financial Affairs, Denmark
• Winni Grosbøll, Director, Forbrugerrådet Tænk
• Isabelle Pérignon, Director for Consumers, DG JUST, European Commission

With video address from MEP Anna Cavazzini (Greens/EFA, Germany), Chair of the IMCO Committee

11:10: Coffee break and networking 

11:40: Panel discussion - Protecting consumers online (with Q&A)

Guiding questions: 

• What unfair commercial practices are consumers facing online?  
• Why are existing EU rules not sufficient to protect consumers against unfair commercial practices?
• How can the upcoming Digital Fairness Act address those issues while increasing legal certainty and preventing a fragmentation of the single market?     

Confirmed panellists: 

• Isabelle Buscke, Head of the Brussels Office, Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband – vzbv
• Monika Namysłowska, Full Professor, Head of the Department of European Economic Law at the Faculty of Law and Administration, University of Lodz
• Martins Prieditis, Deputy Head of Unit for Consumer Law, DG JUST, European Commission
• Vlad-Florin Vita, Policy Advisor, Ecommerce Europe

12:45: Lunch break and networking 

14:00: Opening statement followed by a fireside chat with Michael McGrath, European Commissioner for Democracy, Justice, the Rule of Law and Consumer Protection 

14:30: Panel discussion - Upgrading consumer law enforcement (with Q&A)

Guiding questions:

• Taking stock of the current EU law enforcement architectures: what are the lessons learned?  
• What changes or improvements in the role of the European Commission and authorities can be recommended to make enforcement more effective (i.e. faster and more deterrent)?  
• Enforcement should also be visible and concrete for consumers. What remedies are available to address issues caused by a lack of enforcement in some areas? How can consumers better benefit from stronger enforcement across Europe?  
• How can authorities boost the CPC-Network, so it delivers for consumers? 

Confirmed panellists: 

• Daniel Arribas González, Director General for Consumption, Ministry of Social Rights, Consumption and Agenda 2030, Spain
• Ilya Bruggeman, Director, Digital, Single Market and Consumer Policy, EuroCommerce
• Paulo Fonseca, Strategic Advisor and International Affairs, DECO
• Janneke Toussaint, Acting Director of the Consumers Department, The Netherlands Authority for Consumers & Markets

15:35: Closing remarks by Agustín Reyna Director General, BEUC, followed by a networking reception in partnership with the Transatlantic Consumer Dialogue (TACD)