Sustainability

With the Brexit talks about to start, EU consumer groups have outlined how the interests of EU and UK consumers should be protected during the negotiations. The European Consumer Organisation and its members want any decisions related to the United Kingdom’s exit from the EU, and its subsequent relationship, to be assessed against the impact on consumers.

The European Parliament’s investigative committee into the Dieselgate emissions scandal adopted its conclusions today. It blames Member States for failures in testing cars both before and after they go on the road. It also criticises the European Commission for not following up on indications that illegal testing practices occurred.

Several Member States including Germany and Italy are putting at risk current efforts to reform the system of approving and checking cars in Europe. If the positions of these Member States persist, they will ultimately threaten efforts to prevent a future Dieselgate scandal emerging in Europe. These are the findings of an unpublished report seen by BEUC, on Member State positions concerning the reform of EU type approval and market surveillance rules.

The European Parliament’s Internal Market Committee has just voted in favour of a much needed overhaul to the system of approving and checking a car’s emissions and performance.

Today, the European Commission announced it would open infringement procedures against 7 Member States for their handling of the dieselgate scandal1. The countries targeted by the Commission have either failed to introduce penalties systems against car manufacturers for violating emissions limits or have not taken action against companies in light of evidence that they broke these emissions norms.

Today the European Commission is releasing a set of proposals to reform the EU energy market, particularly for electricity. The Commission has understood that for the transition to a cleaner, more sustainable energy market to be a success, consumers need to become more involved in energy markets. Therefore, the Commission is keen to improve the clarity and quality of information consumers receive on their energy consumption, particularly on bills or through new, smart technologies. The Commission is also releasing its long-awaited Ecodesign work plan which sets design standards for energy-using products so they become more efficient and cut energy bills for consumers. On the downside, however, consumers who have invested in solar panels to produce their own electricity could find the road bumpier in the future.