Press releases

The internet-connected toys ‘My Friend Cayla’ and ‘i-Que’ fail miserably when it comes to safeguarding basic consumer rights, security, and privacy. Both toys are sold widely in the EU. BEUC’s Norwegian member, the Norwegian Consumer Council, has looked at the terms and technical features of these connected toys. The findings reveal serious risks to, and a lack of understanding of, children's rights to privacy and security.

Member States decided to maintain the high fees that telecom providers can charge each other when their customers use a foreign network. Today’s decision is of particular importance to European consumers as it would have direct negative consequences on the plan to abolish roaming fees in June 2017.

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.

Members of the European Parliament’s industry committee voted to bring down the charges phone operators have to pay each other if their customers use a foreign network. The reform of these so-called wholesale roaming fees is a pre-condition for the abolition of retail fees, which is what consumers pay, to happen in June next year.