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Letta report identifies untapped potential of Single Market for consumers

The report published today by Enrico Letta from the Jacques Delors Institute is a welcome effort to remove barriers that prevent the Single Market...

Enforcement
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Consumer groups file complaint against Meta’s unfair pay-or-consent model

Meta is currently rolling out changes to its service in the EU which require Facebook and Instagram users to either consent to the processing of their...

Privacy and personal data protection Enforcement
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Consumer groups launch EU-wide complaint against major water bottle producers for greenwashing

Today, BEUC and member organisations from 13 countries have reported to EU authorities misleading commercial claims about the recyclability of their...

Unfair commercial practices Enforcement
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EU Commission’s proposal fails to strengthen out-of-court dispute resolution for consumers

Today, the European Commission published a proposal to modernise the rules on consumer Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR). Consumer ADR gives...

Alternative Dispute Resolution
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Need for EU-wide investigation into AdBlue emission-reduction system for cars

Consumer groups across Europe are calling on European consumer authorities to open an EU-wide investigation into AdBlue, in what is likely to be an...

Enforcement
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Topics
Alternative Dispute Resolution
Collective redress
Consumer Justice Enforcement Forum (CoJEF)
Enforcement
Consumer groups welcome new EU consumer policy strategy for the next five years
- PDF Document - 140.4 KB

Consumer policy
Enforcement
Available in English
Today the European Commission adopted the “Consumer Agenda”, its consumer policy strategy for the next five years. It lays down the Commission’s consumer policy objectives and will serve as guidance to include consumer interests in all policy areas. Focus areas are the green and digital transition as well as the post-COVID economic recovery.
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Five years after Dieselgate scandal, Volkswagen still failing to compensate European consumers
- PDF Document - 88.51 KB

Collective redress
Sustainable mobility
Available in English
A report from The European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) released five years after the Dieselgate scandal finds that VW is continuing its stalling tactics, exploiting legal loopholes and taking advantage of the uneven access to justice of European consumers. In short, the report confirms that VW is doing everything to avoid compensation payments to EU consumers – while paying out $9.5 billion in compensation to defrauded US car owners just months after the scandal broke. It also highlights that Europe’s legal systems lack the necessary tools to tackle mass claims.
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Besides our efforts to improve laws, their enforcement and providing redress when they are breached are also focal points of our work. National enforcement authorities need adequate powers to investigate and stop infringements, while they should cooperate among themselves and with consumer associations to ensure coherent enforcement of consumer rights throughout the EU.

If consumers are harmed, various redress tools, including independent Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) and effective Collective Redress procedures, should be available for consumers to obtain the compensation to which they are entitled. Our work has recently expanded to cover EU competition policy where the EU can take action against monopolies in the market which harm consumer choice

  • Collective Redress procedures have to be available and efficient in all Member States
  • Consumers being able to rely on independent ADR bodies, available in all sectors with common adherence of business
  • Enforcement stepped up throughout the EU
  • Encouraging the EU to continue to be a strong player in competition policy