Press releases

The European Commission today presented its Water Resilience Strategy, the aim of which is environmental protection, competitiveness and to secure clean and affordable water and sanitation for all at all times, and empowering citizens for water resilience. BEUC very much welcomes this action plan as much bolder action is needed to restore and protect the water cycle, to eliminate harmful chemicals, make agricultural practices more sustainable and invest substantially in the EU’s water infrastructure.

The EU Commission announced today proposals to simplify rules for “small” mid-caps and reform the Single Market. While simplification can benefit companies and consumers alike, BEUC highlights the necessity to improve the enforcement of the EU’s key data protection law, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), instead of reopening it and the need to keep some key information about products’ use, maintenance and sustainability on and with the products, not online.

Today, BEUC and 16 member organisations from 12 countries filed a complaint to the European Commission and the Consumer Protection authorities’ network (CPC) denouncing seven airlines charging undue fees to consumers for their hand baggage. We are calling for an EU-wide investigation into the commercial practices of the targeted airlines and the wider sector.

A new survey carried out in eight EU countries shows that the future Common Agricultural Policy should better reflect consumer expectations about food, how it is produced, and by whom. Although most consumers have a generally positive view of the agricultural sector, the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is not fully in line with their social and environmental concerns. BEUC and its members call on the EU Commission to heed consumers’ concerns in the future revision of the CAP to address societal expectations.