Filenews 21 November 2024 - by Theano Thiopoulou
The European Commission presented the day before yesterday the new roadmap shaping the EU's consumer policy over the next five years and will serve as a guide for policymakers to include consumer interests in all areas of action.
The Consumer Agenda 2030 replaces the 2020-2025 Action Plan which focused on the green and digital transitions, as well as tackling unfair online practices.
The European report states that there are 450 million consumers in the EU, who contribute more than 51% of the EU's GDP through household spending. While benefiting from strong rights, the increased cost of living and evolving market practices, especially online, mean that consumer legislation must constantly adapt to new realities.
To guide EU consumer policy over the next five years, the Commission has announced the 2030 Agenda, which focuses on four key priorities:
• An action plan to complete the single market for consumers. This will reduce costs for consumers, enhance opportunities for businesses, encourage mobility and improve access to cross-border financial services.
• A Digital Justice Act (DFA), to be proposed in 2026, to protect consumers in the digital environment, especially children. The Commission will also simplify rules for businesses, reduce administrative burdens through digital tools, improve access to information and step up action against online fraud.
• Promoting sustainable consumption by assisting EU countries in implementing EU legislation promoting sustainable goods. The Commission also aims to promote the return of goods that are no longer used, second-hand markets or innovative circular start-ups.
• Protecting consumers from unsafe or non-compliant products online, by ensuring effective enforcement and redress. This will be achieved by reforming the Consumer Protection Cooperation Regulation, working with national authorities, ensuring effective enforcement of the General Product Safety Regulation and proposing a revision of market surveillance rules. The EU will also continue to work directly with third countries to address the safety of products at source.
The European Consumer Federation, on the occasion of the new 2030 Agenda, states that in recent years consumers have faced many new challenges, arising from a global pandemic, the war in Ukraine and a persistent cost of living crisis, which affects their purchasing power and market behaviours.
This means that their expectations of legislators have also evolved, as have their needs. The Commission will seek to protect the most vulnerable consumers by addressing the effects of rising food, housing and energy prices. The new Consumer Agenda, notes the European Consumer Federation, "includes several flagship initiatives that are expected to help increase consumer protection and improve their living conditions in the Single Market".
