COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS 2030 Consumer Agenda and action plan for consumers in the single market 'A new impulse for consumer protection, competitiveness and sustainable growth'
Date: 2025-11-19
Institutions: Directorate-General for Justice and Consumers, European Commission
Subjects: EU action, action programme, competitiveness, consumer policy, consumer protection, consumption, electronic commerce, goods and services, provision of services, single market

EN 

  EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 19.11.2025  COM(2025) 848 final  COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS 2030 Consumer Agenda and action plan for consumers in the single market 'A new impulse for consumer protection, competitiveness and sustainable growth' {SWD(2025) 848 final}  
 
 
COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN 
PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL 
COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS 

2030 Consumer Agenda and action plan for consumers in the single market 
'A new impulse for consumer protection, competitiveness and sustainable growth' 

Consumer  protection  is  an  integral  part  of  our  Union  and  is  at  the  core  of  our  single 
market1. It ensures that European consumers can make informed choices, are safe when 
buying goods and services, are treated fairly in contracts and transactions, and have access 
to  effective  remedies.  A  strong  Consumer  Agenda  is  essential  to  make  a  difference  in 
consumers’  everyday  lives  and  to  achieve  our  mutually  reinforcing  and  overarching 
objectives of competitiveness and sustainable prosperity, protecting democracy and social 
fairness2. 

European consumers benefit from some of the strongest levels of protection in the world, 
but  they  still  face  many  challenges.  These  include  the  high  cost  of  living  and  socio-
economic  uncertainty;  the  impacts  of  climate  change;  exposure  to  unsafe  products  and 
unfair  commercial  practices  especially  online;  persistent  barriers  when  shopping  cross-
border;  and  difficulties  in  obtaining  redress.  The  EU  market  is  also  facing  growing 
challenges  from  the  significant  rise  in  e-commerce  imports  from  outside  of  the  EU, 
especially low value parcels imported and delivered directly to consumers, that pose risks 
to their health and safety, are unsustainable from an environmental viewpoint, and create 
unfair competition for compliant businesses in the EU3. 

Consumer protection, competitiveness and sustainable prosperity are mutually reinforcing. 
As  stated  in  the  Letta  Report,  enhancing  consumer  protection  fosters  a  competitive 
environment that benefits both consumers and businesses. With 450 million consumers in 
the  single  market  and  household  spending  accounting  for  over  51%  of  the  EU’s  GDP4 
(making it the single largest component of economic activity in the EU), consumers play 
an essential role in the engine room of our economy. Their needs, motivations, preferences, 
concerns  and,  ultimately,  their  choices  drive  competition,  innovation,  investment  and 
sustainable growth. These factors also influence whether products are imported, grown or 
made in the EU, and thus have an impact on the just transition overall. 

In turn, a competitive EU market increases consumer welfare by providing a wide choice 
of  quality  goods  and  services  at  affordable  prices.  A  robust  consumer  protection 
framework provides rules and incentives to create the trust, safeguards and legal certainty 
that both consumers and businesses need. For instance, to address the risks posed by the 
exponential growth of e-commerce imports, rigorous implementation and enforcement of 

1 Article 12 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and Article 38 of the European Charter 
of Fundamental Rights. 
2 European Commission’s 2024-2029 priorities. 
3 In February 2025, the European Commission presented the Communication on a comprehensive toolbox 
for safe and sustainable e-commerce. Swift progress will be essential on several fronts, including removing 
the  customs  duty  exemption  for  products  valued  under  EUR  150  as  part  of  customs  reform,  enhancing 
cooperation  with  countries  where  these  products  originate  to  tackle  product  safety  at  the  source,  and 
strengthening our enforcement capabilities in customs, market surveillance, and consumer protection.  
4 Eurostat: https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/NAMA_10_GDP/default/table?lang=en. 

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EU rules on consumer rights and product safety is essential not only to protect consumers 
but also to shield compliant companies from unfair competition. 

In addition to this central economic role, consumer policy has an intrinsic social, protective 
and stabilising dimension that holds even greater significance in the turbulent times that 
Europe and the world face today. By creating a framework that protects peoples’ rights, 
ensures  fair  market  practices  and  pursues  collective  wellbeing  and  non-discrimination, 
consumer  policy  fosters  social  fairness  and  strengthens  trust  in  our  democracy.  For 
example, consumer policy can ease consumers’ struggles with the high cost of living and 
alleviate their environmental concerns by supporting the circular economy and fostering 
the availability of affordable and attractive sustainable products. 

This is the context in which the European Commission is presenting its 2030 Consumer 
Agenda (‘the Agenda’), a new strategic framework for EU consumer policy that sets out 
concrete priorities and actions for the next five years. 

The Agenda covers a broad range of actions that respond directly to key challenges and 
reflect the cross-cutting nature of consumer policy. It aims to enhance consumer protection 
and  foster  competitiveness,  social  fairness  and  sustainable  growth,  notably  by 
strengthening the consistent and effective implementation, application and enforcement of 
EU rules and by tackling important challenges such as digital fairness and online consumer 
protection. 

The Agenda addresses four key priority areas. Firstly, given the central role of consumer 
protection in ensuring that the single market functions properly and the importance of the 
single market in creating prosperity and boosting Europe’s competitiveness, the Agenda 
includes  an  action  plan  for  consumers  in  the  single  market.  This  action  plan 
complements the single market strategy by addressing particular issues within the single 
market that directly affect consumers. The other key priorities of the Agenda are digital 
fairness and online consumer protection, sustainable consumption, and enforcement 
and redress. 

The  need  to  adapt  to  a  fast-changing  society  and  the  rise  in  e-commerce  heighten  the 
complexities and risks for specific consumer groups, such as people with disabilities, older 
people, young consumers, or low-income families. Protecting consumers in vulnerable 
situations  is  therefore  an  important  overarching  priority  that  spans  all  areas  of  the 
Agenda. This includes protecting children as consumers in the digital environment, and 
tackling the impact of the high cost of living, which has made it increasingly difficult for 
many to afford basic needs such as food, energy and housing. 

Simplification and administrative burden reduction is an overarching priority, in line 
with the objectives set out in the Competitiveness Compass. To this end, the Agenda aims 
to  simplify  and  clarify  consumer  protection  rules,  reduce  unnecessary  administrative 
burden and enable companies to operate in a clear, fair and predictable environment, all 
while maintaining robust consumer protection standards. In particular, strengthening and 
simplifying  the  enforcement  framework  is  a  cornerstone  of  the  Agenda  and  will  help 
businesses to lower their compliance costs and tap the opportunities offered by the single 
market. In turn, simplification and burden reduction should also allow businesses to help 
ease cost of living pressures. 

The actions set out in the Agenda will be underpinned by active international cooperation, 
at both bilateral and multilateral level. The EU will continue working with countries across 

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the  globe  and  engaging  in  multilateral  forums,  such  as  the  World  Trade  Organization 
(WTO), the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and the 
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), to promote a high 
level of consumer protection and support a level playing field for businesses. The EU will 
continue  to  engage  with  willing  partners  through  informal  consumer  dialogues  and  to 
collaborate with the relevant authorities, notably on the safety of products sold online, as 
well as organise an International Product Safety Week every two years. The Commission 
will also continue supporting candidate countries to align with the EU consumer protection 
acquis as part of the EU enlargement process. 

The Agenda builds on the achievements of the New Consumer Agenda adopted in 2020 
and is the result of extensive discussions with stakeholders5. To achieve its objectives and 
implement its actions, an inclusive, transparent and dynamic governance framework 
is essential. The Commission will cooperate in a structured manner with all stakeholders, 
including  the  Member  States  and  the  European  Parliament,  business  associations, 
academia and civil society, including consumer organisations. Their active involvement 
throughout the process of implementing the Agenda will be essential to its success. 

1.  COMPLETING THE SINGLE MARKET: AN ACTION PLAN FOR CONSUMERS  

The  single  market  is  one  of  the  EU’s  greatest  achievements.  It  provides  significant 
benefits to consumers, such as greater choice and lower prices, and is a critical asset for 
boosting European competitiveness. However, numerous barriers still prevent consumers 
and businesses from fully leveraging the single market’s potential. Completing the single 
market  is  therefore  of  the  utmost  urgency.  This  action  plan  complements  the  measures 
included in the single market strategy and the forthcoming single market roadmap to 2028. 
It tackles obstacles that hinder consumers from reaping additional benefits from the single 
market, mainly in the areas of access to goods and services, particularly financial services, 
mobility and transport. 

Since its adoption in 2018, the Geo-Blocking Regulation has improved consumer access 
to cross-border goods and services by eliminating unjustified geo-blocking and other forms 
of online sales discrimination based on nationality or place of residence or establishment. 
Yet,  challenges  remain  regarding  the  correct  implementation  of  the  Regulation6.  In 
February 2025, the Commission launched a formal evaluation of the Regulation to assess 
whether  it  has  met  its  objectives.  In  parallel,  the  Commission  will  further  analyse  the 
benefits, challenges and possible risks of extending the scope of the Regulation. 

Cross-border barriers restricting consumer choice are not limited to online environments. 
Territorial supply  constraints, which are  restrictions imposed by some manufacturers 
that  make  it  very  difficult  or  impossible  for  retailers,  both  from  online  and  brick-and-
mortar shops, to purchase products in one Member State and sell in another, also fragment 
the single market and may lead to higher prices, thus contributing to an increase of the cost 
of living7. As announced in the single market strategy, the Commission will develop tools 
to  act  against  unjustified  territorial  supply  constraints  in  situations  that  fall  outside  the 

5 See accompanying synopsis report summarising stakeholder consultation activities, SWD(2025) 848. 
6 See: Commission staff working document on the impact of the Geo-Blocking Regulation and progress in 
further  reducing  cross-border  barriers,  and  European  Court  of  Auditors  Special  Report:  Unjustified  geo-
blocking in e-commerce. See also: Geo-blocking – Still an area of concern for ECC-Net. 
7  A  study  conducted  for  the  European  Commission  estimated  that  if  territorial  supply  constraints  were 
removed, consumers could save up to EUR 14.1 billion per year on purchases of certain products.  

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scope  of  competition  law.  In  parallel,  the  Commission  will  continue  its  vigorous 
enforcement of competition rules. 

Another area where consumers face barriers is the cross-border provision of financial 
services. While the share of consumers purchasing financial services abroad has increased, 
it  remains  very  limited  in  certain  product  categories  such  as  consumer  loans,  mortgage 
loans and insurance. Increasing the cross-border provision of retail financial services while 
protecting consumers from reckless borrowing and over-indebtedness can bring benefits 
to consumers and business opportunities for financial services providers. Consumers may 
also still face restrictions when trying to open a payment account in another Member State. 
The Savings and Investments Union will promote deeper integration of capital markets 
– alongside an integrated banking  system  – and will improve cross-border provision  of 
funds. It will encourage retail participation in capital markets, in particular by seeking to 
increase the availability and uptake of savings and investment accounts that can allow 
consumers to obtain higher long-term returns from investing in financial markets, as set 
out in the Commission Recommendation to Member States on Savings and Investment 
Accounts. The Commission  will also  work with Member States to  ensure the  effective 
implementation and enforcement of existing financial services legislation, such as the 
Payment  Accounts  Directive.  This  Directive  prevents  service  providers  from 
discriminating against EU consumers on grounds of nationality or place of residence when 
they apply for access to a bank account, and gives all consumers legally residing in the EU 
the  right  to  a  basic  payment  account.  To  enhance  the  enforcement  of  these  rules,  the 
Commission  will  consider  bringing  the  Single  Euro  Payments  Area  Regulation,  which 
includes  a  rule  prohibiting  IBAN  discrimination8,  under  the  scope  of  the  Consumer 
Protection Cooperation Regulation. The Commission will also focus on implementing the 
EU financial literacy strategy, which aims to enable consumers to better manage their 
personal finances and participate in capital markets on a safe and sound basis, especially 
in  the  era  of  digitalised  services.  In  2028,  the  Commission  plans  to  conduct  a 
comprehensive stress test of EU law on consumer financial services to assess its resilience, 
identify opportunities to simplify the rules, and ensure it remains fit for purpose in a rapidly 
evolving financial landscape. 

Besides the possibility to access goods and services across the EU, the free movement of 
people within the single market further enables consumers to enjoy all the benefits of a 
Europe  without  frontiers.  When  travelling,  consumers  need  access  to  affordable,  high 
quality,  seamless  and  accessible  mobility,  transport  and  electronic  communications 
services, backed up by a strong set of rights. 

As  regards  electronic  communications  services,  the  EU  roaming  rules  mean  that 
consumers travelling within the EU/EEA can use their phones to call, text and access the 
internet  without  extra  charges.  The  EU  has  already  concluded  agreements  that  will 
effectively extend the EU roaming area to Ukraine and Moldova as of 1 January 2026. The 
Commission  has  also  started 
the  EU  electronic 
communications rules on end-user rights and universal service. 

the  procedure  for  reviewing 

While demand for multimodal travel is growing, consumers still face numerous barriers 
in comparing fares, finding the best travel option, booking their journeys and upholding 

8 The Single Euro Payments Area Regulation mandates that banks and businesses must treat International 
Bank  Account  Numbers  (IBANs)  from  all  EU  Member  States  equally,  ensuring  that  individuals  and 
companies can conduct transactions across borders without facing unjustified barriers based on the origin of 
their IBAN. 

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their  rights  in  the  event  of  disruption.  This  is  especially  the  case  for  rail  travel.  The 
upcoming proposals regarding a Single Digital Booking and Ticketing Regulation, the 
Multimodal Digital Mobility Services Regulation and the targeted revision of the Rail 
Passenger Rights Regulation, together with the forthcoming adoption of the legislative 
acts  of  the  Passenger  Mobility  Package,  will  tackle  several  of  these  challenges.  The 
Passenger Mobility Package includes the revision of EU passenger rights Regulations as 
well as the revision of the 2015 Package Travel Directive. Completing the revision of 
this Directive will lead to more effective consumer protection, including through new rules 
on vouchers, requiring travellers’ explicit consent. It will also ensure that consumers are 
provided with clearer information, while significantly reducing the number of information 
forms. Completing the revision of EU passenger rights legislation will ensure in particular 
better  enforcement  of  passenger  rights,  create  rights  for  passengers  in  the  context  of 
multimodal  journeys,  improve  the  rights  of  passengers  with  disabilities  and  reduced 
mobility,  enhance  information  to  passengers  on  their  rights  and  clarify  the  rules  on 
reimbursements of air tickets when booked via intermediaries. The Commission will also 
put forward a revision of the Air Services Regulation. This will involve targeted action 
to reinforce consumer protection rules, including by providing clarity about minimum hand 
luggage allowances9 and what features and services must be included as standard in all air 
tickets, and by increasing transparency and comparability of air tickets. 

The shift towards clean mobility also requires the removal of barriers hindering the use of 
zero-emission  vehicles  domestically  and  across  borders.  As  more  consumers  purchase 
electric  cars,  they  need  a  well-functioning  and  competitive  charging  market.  The  EU’s 
public  charging  infrastructure  has  grown  significantly,  thanks  to  the  Alternative  Fuels 
Infrastructure  Regulation.  The  Regulation  also  introduced  provisions  to  facilitate 
payment  processes  and  improve  transparency  of  recharging  prices.  In  2026,  the 
Commission  will  review  the  Alternative  Fuels  Infrastructure  Regulation  and  assess  the 
effectiveness  of  existing  provisions  and  whether  further  action  is  needed  to  ensure  full 
price transparency and easy payment methods. 

As part of the upcoming EU strategy on sustainable tourism, the Commission will also 
look into how to make cross-border car rentals more accessible for consumers. In line 
with the single market strategy, the Commission is considering the application of EU single 
market rules and principles to the taxi and private hire vehicle sector.   

Cross-border trade is a fundamental part of the European used car market10. However, the 
lack  of  reliable  information  about  car  mileage,  maintenance  and  accident  track  records 
undermines consumer trust and leaves consumers exposed to fraudulent practices. Several 
Member  States  have  already  put  in  place  various  systems  to  tackle  this  problem.  The 
Roadworthiness Package adopted in April 2025 includes measures to address odometer 
tampering in domestic and cross-border sales of used vehicles. These measures will ensure 
that consumers receive proper information, thereby strengthening consumer protection in 
the second-hand vehicle market. In addition, the Commission is working on reviewing the 
Car Labelling Directive with a view to better inform consumers. 

European  Digital  Identity  Wallets,  which  will  be  available  in  each  Member  State  by 
2026, will make it easier for consumers to store and share key travel documents such as 
digital visas and passports and use them to easily check into flights and hotels, open a bank 

9 Without prejudice to the ongoing negotiations on the revision of the EU passenger rights legislation.  
10 JRC Study, ‘A review of the used car market in the European Union’, 2025. 

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account,  rent  a  car,  renew  medical  prescriptions,  and  access  other  private  and  public 
services cross-border. 

Close  monitoring  of  the  cost  of  living  and  economic  trends  in  the  single  market  is 
necessary to develop consumer policy measures that tackle barriers, support social equality 
and  ensure  consumer  welfare  standards.  Building  on  available  Eurostat  data  and 
visualisations, the Commission will enhance its online tools to track the evolution in the 
price of basic consumer goods and services in the single market in a way that is accessible 
and  easy  to  understand,  including  for  research  and  policy-making  purposes.  The 
Commission will also further develop the parts of the Consumer Conditions Scoreboard 
that relate to the cost of living. Finally, the Commission will present its first ever EU Anti-
Poverty  Strategy  in  2026  to  help  people  gain  access  to  the  essential  protections  and 
services they need, and to set a clear path to reduce the number of people in poverty by 15 
million  in  2030  and  help  eradicate  poverty  in  Europe  by  2050,  by  addressing  the  root 
causes  of  poverty.  This  will  also  be  backed  up  by  a  strengthened  Child  Guarantee  to 
shield children from poverty and social exclusion. 

Actions 

•  Complete  an  evaluation  of  the  Geo-Blocking  Regulation  (Q2  2026)  and  further 

analyse the benefits, challenges and possible risks of extending its scope. 

•  Develop tools to act against unjustified Territorial Supply Constraints to cover 
situations beyond those captured by competition law, such as unilateral practices of 
large manufacturers (Q4 2026). 

•  Foster  the  provision  of  cross-border  financial  services,  by  monitoring  retail 
investments  in  capital  markets  and  the  availability  and  uptake  of  savings  and 
investment accounts (2026-2027). 

•  Enhance  the  level  of  financial  literacy  through  the  implementation  of  the  EU 

Financial Literacy Strategy (as of Q1 2026). 

•  Roll out the EU Digital Identity Wallets across all Member States as a safe, reliable, 
and privacy-preserving means of digital identification for everyone in the Union (Q4 
2026). 

•  Conclude roaming agreements with EU candidate countries (for example, Ukraine 

and Moldova as of January 2026 and Western Balkans). 

•  Foster the development of cross-border mobility services by: 

• 

• 

• 

launching initiatives for multimodal digital mobility services, single digital 
booking and ticketing, and a targeted revision of rail passenger rights to 
enhance  travel  booking  when  combining  different  modes  of  transport  or 
different  transport  operators,  especially  for  rail  (legislative  proposals  -  Q1 
2026); 

reviewing the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (2026); 

launching an initiative on cross-border car rental (Q2 2026). 

•  Strengthen  the  monitoring  and  analysis  of  consumer  conditions  and  trends, 

including the cost of living (by the end of 2026). 

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2.  DIGITAL FAIRNESS AND CONSUMER PROTECTION ONLINE  

The  digital  economy  has  brought  many  benefits  to  consumers.  It  has  brought  in  new 
products and services and transformed consumers’ lives in many ways, from how we shop, 
to  how  we  consume  entertainment,  access  information  and  how  we  interact  with 
businesses.  With the rise of e-commerce, the development  of new technologies and the 
increasing use of artificial intelligence (AI), it is important to ensure that EU consumer law 
continues to provide a high level of consumer protection in the current digital environment, 
preserving consumer autonomy and freedom of choice. 

The Digital Services Act , the Digital Markets Act, and the Artificial Intelligence Act have 
strengthened the EU’s digital rule book, with clear benefits for consumers and businesses11. 
Effective  and  consistent  application  of  these  rules  is  essential  to  tackle  the  risks  and 
challenges that consumers face online. However, the digital fairness fitness check of EU 
consumer  law  identified  shortcomings  and  problematic  practices  in  the  digital 
environment  that  require  action  at  EU  level  to  fill  gaps  in  consumer  protection,  reduce 
legal  uncertainty  for  businesses,  prevent  regulatory  fragmentation  and  facilitate 
enforcement. 

For instance, the Digital Services Act already addresses several aspects of the challenges 
that  consumers  may  encounter  online.  Nevertheless,  problematic  commercial  practices 
concern  all  types  of  traders,  including  those  not  falling  under  the  scope  of  the  Digital 
Services  Act,  such  as  e-commerce  websites  and  digital  services  that  are  not  based  on 
content intermediation. Horizontal EU consumer legislation provides a ‘safety net’ for all 
market participants in a technology-neutral manner. To guarantee that this safety net is fit 
for the digital age, in addition to ensuring the effective implementation and enforcement 
of the existing legal framework, the Commission will also propose a Digital Fairness Act 
to further strengthen  the protection  of consumers online against practices such  as:  dark 
patterns  that  can  unfairly  influence  consumer  decisions;  addictive  design  features; 
problematic  practices  by  influencers;  unfair  personalisation  that  takes  advantage  of 
consumers’  vulnerabilities  and  problematic  features  in  digital  products  such  as  social 
media, video games and e-commerce. The Digital Fairness Act will also aim at simplifying 
rules  for  businesses,  in  particular  by  looking  at  consumer  information  requirements  in 
specific types of contracts and in repetitive transactions with the same traders. 

Minors are particularly vulnerable consumers. They tend to have specific consumption 
patterns and are often early adopters of new technologies and digital products, including 
products  aimed  at  very  young  children.  The  Digital  Services  Act  already  contains 
provisions to protect minors on online platforms and ensures a high level of privacy, safety 
and  security  of  minors  on  such  platforms12.  However,  children's  exposure  to  harmful 
practices  and  features  in  digital  products,  online  bullying,  adult  content,  self-harm 
promotion,  and  algorithms  designed  to  exploit  their  vulnerabilities  and  foster  addiction 
raises  urgent  concerns  that  require  further  scrutiny.  The  Commission  will  therefore 
conduct an EU-wide inquiry on the broader impacts of social media on the wellbeing 

11 For example, the Digital Services Act imposes a wide range of due diligence obligations for providers of 
online intermediary services, such as online marketplaces, to enhance user safety and trust. It further obliges 
very large online platforms and search engines to identify, assess and mitigate systemic risks stemming from 
the design, functioning and use of their services, including those that may adversely affect a high-level of 
consumer protection. 
12 To help online platforms implement appropriate  protection of minors, the Commission is working on a 
robust, privacy-preserving and easy-to-use EU-harmonised age verification software solution, based on the 
EU Digital Identity Wallet technology. 

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of young people. It will also set up a panel of experts on children and social media, as 
announced in the 2025 State of the Union Address by President von der Leyen. The Digital 
Fairness Act will also aim to strengthen the protection of vulnerable consumers online, 
including minors. 

Furthermore, the Commission will evaluate the Audiovisual Media Services Directive, 
which includes rules  to  protect  minors from  harmful content, including  online, prohibit 
discrimination,  set  qualitative  and  quantitative  content  standards  for  audiovisual 
commercial  communications  to  protect  consumers,  including  minors,  and  foster 
accessibility for people with disabilities. 

Online fraud schemes are among the fastest growing crimes online and they are causing 
significant  harm  to  consumers13.  The  Commission  has  proposed  revising  the  Payment 
Services Directive to strengthen consumer protection, including by extending the fraud 
prevention rules for payment service providers and the refund rights of consumers who fall 
victim to payment fraud. To further strengthen the ability to combat online fraud in the 
EU, the Commission will publish an action plan on online fraud. Its goals will include 
boosting  prevention  measures,  making  law  enforcement  action  more  effective  and 
strengthening  support  for  fraud  victims  in  recovering  their  funds.  In  addition,  the 
Commission will continue to build upon the Digital Services Act in its enforcement work 
to tackle online fraud and financial scams, ensuring online platforms and search engines 
protect consumers from deceptive practices. Dropshipping14 is also a problematic practice 
for consumers. The results of the consumer survey carried out for the digital fairness fitness 
check indicated a need to take a look at increasing transparency on the use of this business 
model15. 

Consumers  are  confronted  with  repetitive  consent  requests  and  non-transparent  cookie 
banners online, which complicate understanding of how their data is used and effectively 
deprive them of a genuinely informed choice. With the Digital Omnibus proposal, the 
Commission seeks to reform the rules on cookies, whilst preserving the same level of data 
protection, as the current system is disadvantageous both for consumers and businesses. 

The digitalisation of financial services offers consumers convenient and cost-effective 
financial management solutions, increases the choice of financial services and enhances 
innovation.  However,  digitalisation  also  creates  significant  difficulties  and  risks.  For 
instance, the switch to digital services and the closure of physical bank branches create the 
risk  of  discrimination  against  consumers  who  rely  on  cash,  have  difficulty  travelling 
independently or easily to the nearest bank branch, struggle to transition to digital services, 
or have no access to the internet. In 2023, the Commission put forward several proposals 
aimed at ensuring that cash payments are widely accepted, improving consumer access to 
cash  and  promoting  financial  inclusion.  In  the  context  of  the  implementation  and 
application of the new Consumer Credit Directive, the Commission plans to assess how 
digitalisation is impacting the retail financial services market, with a particular focus on 
consumer credit. It will analyse the emergence of new players, products and practices, as 

13 Consumer Conditions Survey 2024: nearly 45% of consumers reported encountering scams online. 
14 Dropshipping is the selling of products without the seller holding them in stock. When a consumer orders 
a  product, the seller passes the order directly to the  supplier (wholesaler or producer), who subsequently 
provides the logistics (direct delivery to the consumer) and possible returns, without the need for the seller 
to be involved. 
15 72% of respondents found the absence of transparency about dropshipping to be problematic. 

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well  as  the  challenges  and  opportunities  consumers  face  when  using  retail  financial 
services online. 

In line with the single market strategy and the Omnibus IV Simplification Package, the 
Commission will also explore how digital solutions, e.g. digital labelling and digital tools 
such  as  mobile  applications  and  the  Digital  Product  Passport,  can  improve  access  to 
product  and  service  information  for  consumers,  while  reducing  the  administrative 
burden for companies and ensuring that all the essential information, e.g. product safety-
related information, remains available in a physical form. The secure and efficient sharing 
of product information between businesses, suppliers, manufacturers, and regulators could 
also  be  facilitated  by  the  forthcoming  European  Business  Wallets,  promoting  a  more 
integrated and transparent single market. 

Although the digital environment offers benefits for communicating about product safety, 
it also presents specific challenges. These can be related to the sale of dangerous products 
online  or  the  health  and  safety  risks,  including  mental  health  risks,  posed  by  new 
technology products.  Accessibility of information can also be an issue  for persons  with 
disabilities.  The  Commission  will  analyse  the  specific  vulnerabilities  of  consumers  in 
online environments and the impact of those vulnerabilities on product safety. This will 
include for example analysing how consumers react to specific warnings and instructions 
in  the  digital  environment  and  how  new  safety  risks  impact  consumers  when  using 
different digital products, such as apps or software. 

Another  key  challenge  is  the  rapid  development  and  deployment  of  AI  in  consumer 
markets.  AI  technology  can  offer  advantages,  such  as  greater  efficiency,  personalised 
advice and customer interactions, and cost  savings. But  it  also  presents  risks, including 
reduced  human  interaction  and  problems  stemming  from  system  failures,  bias  or 
inaccuracies.  The  EU’s  Artificial  Intelligence  Act  established  a  robust  framework  for 
ensuring that the AI systems developed and used in the EU are trustworthy, with safeguards 
to protect people’s fundamental rights16. The Commission will work closely with Member 
States  to  ensure  the  consistent  implementation  and  enforcement  of  the  Artificial 
Intelligence Act and the relevant consumer protection and product safety laws. The list of 
prohibited AI practices under the Artificial Intelligence Act will be reviewed annually and 
updated  if  new  problems  are  identified.  It  is  crucial  that  the  consumer  protection 
framework  keeps  pace  with  technological  developments  and  that  consumers  have 
transparent information when they interact with AI (e.g. when using AI powered customer 
service support or seeking information and advice from AI assistants), so they are fully 
aware of the nature of the interaction and the possible risks17. 

Actions 

•  Propose a Digital Fairness Act to tackle unfair techniques and commercial practices 
towards consumers, including in particular minors, and ensure a level playing field 
for traders in the digital environment (legislative proposal - Q4 2026). 

16  For  example,  the  Artificial  Intelligence  Act  prohibits  certain  high-risk  practices  that  could  harm 
consumers, such as the use of AI systems for social scoring, harmful manipulation and deception. It  also 
establishes transparency obligations, such as clear labelling of AI-generated content. 
17  Legal  uncertainties,  for  instance  regarding  what  happens  with  the  unintended  outcomes  of  contracts 
concluded with AI, and limited control over a digital assistant’s actions, can impede the roll-out of innovative 
business models to the detriment of European consumers. The Commission contributed to the development 
of the 2024 UN Model Law on Automated Contracting, which shows how to solve such uncertainties. 

9 

 
 
•  Reinforce the protection of consumers against online fraud, notably by bolstering 
online prevention measures and strengthening support for fraud victims in recovering 
their funds (2026). 

•  Foster fair and transparent use of AI in consumer markets, in particular through the 
application of the AI Act and the relevant consumer protection and product safety 
legislation (ongoing). 

3.  SUSTAINABLE CONSUMPTION 

Climate change, environmental degradation and the clean transition remain some of the 
primary challenges facing consumers and society as a whole. Consumers are increasingly 
aware  of  and  interested  in  the  environmental  and  social  impacts  of  their  purchasing 
decisions,  and  thus  are  drivers  of  sustainable  growth,  as  their  demand  for  responsible 
products creates lead markets for green and socially responsible products. Available and 
affordable sustainable goods and services are central not only to consumer well-being and 
environmental  protection,  but  also  to  Europe’s  long-term  competitiveness  and  strategic 
sovereignty, as they reduce dependence on unsustainable imports and help build resilient 
value chains. Choosing to buy sustainable products and services does not necessarily mean 
paying more: sustainable options last longer, need replacing less often, and cost less to run. 
Most European consumers are willing to make sustainable choices18, but often face barriers 
to  choosing  genuinely  sustainable  options,  such  as  price,  limited  choice,  unclear  and 
inaccessible labelling, and mistrust of environmental claims19. The widespread availability 
of cheap, low-quality products encourages overconsumption in sectors such as fast fashion 
and  electronics,  undermining  sustainability  and  eroding  Europe’s  competitiveness  and 
industrial  base.  The  surge  in  online  purchases  drives  higher  return  rates,  transport 
emissions and waste. 

To make sustainable products  the norm, the new  Ecodesign  for Sustainable Products 
Regulation aims at improving durability, repairability and lightening the environmental 
impact of a broad range of products, such as textiles, furniture, and electronic devices. For 
example, it will bring in requirements on product disassembly, on the availability of spare 
parts  and  on  software  updates20.  The  new  Directive  on  common  rules  promoting  the 
repair of goods (the ‘right to repair’) requires manufacturers to offer repair services for 
products with legally mandated repairability requirements, and provides for the creation of 
a European online platform for repair. The Directive on empowering consumers for 
the green transition provides for a harmonised notice on the legal guarantee of conformity 
and a harmonised label for the commercial guarantee of durability. Adopted in 2025, the 
Commission  will  focus  on  promoting  their  correct  use  and  visibility  across  the  single 
market,  helping  consumers  better  understand  their  rights  and  make  more  informed, 
durability-oriented choices. The Digital Product Passport and sustainability labelling21 
will complement product standards and information. The Commission  plans to improve 

18 Eurobarometer 2022 (SP527): 77% of Europeans feel a responsibility to act to limit climate change. 
19 2024 Consumer Conditions Survey: 67% of EU consumers said that the expense of sustainable products 
stopped them from buying. 62% reported confusion about identifying sustainable options and mistrust of 
environmental information. A 2025 CPC Sweep showed that a large proportion of the environmental claims 
of second-hand online traders were potentially misleading. 
20 See Ecodesign for Sustainable Products and Energy Labelling Working Plan 2025-2030. 
21 As planned under the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation and other relevant EU legislation 
that include cars, textiles and waste sorting. 

10 

 
 
energy labels, thereby enabling consumers to better compare the efficiency of heating and 
cooling technologies. 

New legislation has also been put  in  place to increase consumer trust  in  environmental 
claims and sustainability labels. The new Directive on empowering consumers for the 
green transition addresses greenwashing and early obsolescence. The Commission will 
work  closely  with  Member  States  and  businesses  to  ensure  that  it  is  implemented 
effectively.  The  Commission  will  continue  efforts  to  promote  consumer  awareness  and 
industry uptake of the EU Ecolabel. 

Moreover, the forthcoming proposal for a Circular Economy Act will help create market 
demand for secondary raw materials  and  increase the supply of high quality recyclates. 
Complementing this legislative framework, the Commission will work with stakeholders 
to  promote  product-as-a-service  models  and  innovative  circular  start-ups  through 
guidelines and awareness campaigns. Building on the existing Commission study under 
the General Product Safety Regulation, further work will cover: (i) social and behavioural 
barriers to consumer trust in circular options; and (ii) product safety challenges for second-
hand, repaired,  refurbished, and remanufactured  products. The sustainable  consumption 
pledge will therefore be phased out, paving the way for a new approach to engaging with 
businesses.  The  Commission  will  also  support  the  scale-up  of  sustainable  bio-based 
solutions,  where these provide durable products  and materials and strengthen European 
competitiveness and value chains. 

Ensuring  products  are  safe  and  sustainable  also  requires  action  to  reduce  consumer 
exposure to chemicals of concern. As part of the European chemicals industry action 
plan, the Commission will consider  banning PFAS (perfluoroalkyl  and polyfluoroalkyl 
substances)  in  consumer  uses  such  as  cosmetics,  food-contact  materials  and  outdoor 
clothing.  Additionally,  under  the  new  Packaging  and  Packaging-Waste  Framework 
Regulation, the EU will phase out hazardous substances such as PFAS in packaging. It will 
also lay down harmonised rules for sorting of packaging waste by the consumers and for 
providing information via digital technologies. 

Building on the Communication on a comprehensive toolbox for safe and sustainable e-
commerce, the Commission will explore the need for a Recommendation on ‘green by 
design’ features in e-commerce to further tackle the environmental impact of this sector. 
This would cover aspects such as the availability of sustainability filters, greener delivery 
options,  and  sustainable  return-management  policies.  It  may  also  include  voluntary 
environmental charters, under which companies commit to specific sustainability targets. 
The development and use of private digital tools will be encouraged to help consumers 
make informed sustainable choices. This may include interactive ecolabels explaining the 
scope of the certifications and comparisons of product sustainability features and could be 
potentially integrated in the Digital Product Passport. 

Transport is the third-largest expenditure area for European households22. The transition 
to sustainable mobility modes, including electric cars, public transport and bicycles, can 
save  consumers  significant  amounts  of  money,  and  increase  social  fairness  while  also 
contributing  to  the  goal  of  decarbonisation23,  in  line  with  the  Recommendation  on 

22 https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/products-eurostat-news/w/ddn-20230104-1. 
23 The Consumption Footprint model addressed the difference in environmental impacts between achieving 
sustainable and smart mobility strategy targets (i.e., expansion of electric cars) compared to conventional 

11 

 
 
 
transport poverty and with the automotive action plan. To make this shift affordable, 
the  Commission  is  promoting  the  transition  to  zero-emission  vehicles  under  this  action 
plan and the planned review of the Car Labelling Directive. This is complemented by the 
push for small electric cars under a new small affordable cars initiative, which shall be 
developed in cooperation with industry. These actions will be complemented by the actions 
of Member States in their national plans under the Social Climate Fund. Energy related 
expenditures  remain  significantly  above  pre-COVID  levels,  which  is  especially 
problematic for the more than 46 million of energy-poor Europeans. The Commission will 
adopt a Citizens Energy Package that will aim at tackling energy poverty, simplify energy 
markets,  and  empower  citizen  participation  to  ensure  a  just,  affordable,  and  inclusive 
energy transition for all. 

The housing crisis is a social and competitiveness crisis. It disproportionately affects young 
people and the most vulnerable in our society, but increasingly also low to middle income 
earners and their families. The Commission will present a European affordable housing 
plan setting out a European vision to make housing more affordable and more sustainable. 
The New European Bauhaus will play an important role in the plan. In this context, the 
Commission  will  also  support  Member  States  in  increasing  their  2021-2027  cohesion 
policy  investments  in  the  construction  and  renovation  of  housing  stock,  to  address  the 
needs of consumers, lower energy bills, reduce energy poverty and other costs related to 
housing such as water. 

Households in the EU spend on average 13% of their income on food, with the poorest 
fifth spending as much as 21%, compared to just 9% for the richest fifth. The European 
Social Fund+ supports Member States in providing assistance to the most deprived people. 
The  Commission  will  also  conduct  a  study  on  food  affordability  in  the  EU  to  better 
understand and tackle the impact of rising food prices in the EU, including their impact on 
healthy and nutritious food. 

Public health also underpins the Commission’s work on reducing the harms linked to 
tobacco use. The Commission is currently conducting a comprehensive evaluation of the 
rules on tobacco products and tobacco advertising.  

These public health and social fairness measures go hand in hand with broader EU efforts 
to build sustainable food systems, enabling consumers to make sustainable food choices, 
and to encourage responsible water use, as reflected in  the recently adopted  Vision for 
Food  and  Agriculture,  European  Ocean  Pact  and  water  resilience  strategy.  The 
revised  Waste  Framework  Directive  has  set  food  waste  reduction  targets  and 
introduced  ‘extended  producer  responsibility’  for  textiles.  Producer  responsibility 
organisations  will  provide  information  on  second-hand  options,  re-use  and  end-of-life 
management  of  textiles  and  footwear,  as  well  as  organising  education  programmes, 
awareness-raising campaigns, and community engagement activities. 

Actions 

•  Support the Member States in the implementation of the Directive on empowering 
consumers  for  the  green  transition,  the  Ecodesign  for  Sustainable  Products 
Regulation and the Directive on common rules to promote the repair of goods, by: 

fuel cars by 2030. Pasqualino et al, Consumption Footprint and Domestic Footprint Outlook Report 2025, 
JRC139655. 

12 

 
 
•  promoting the harmonised notice on the legal guarantee of conformity and 
a harmonised label for the commercial guarantee of durability (Q3 2026); 
and 

• 

launching a European online platform for repair (by 2028). 

•  Support  the  circular  economy,  in  particular  by  exchanging  good  practices  with 
stakeholders to promote consumer return of goods that are no longer used, second-
hand markets, product-as-a-service business models and innovative circular start-ups 
(2027). 

•  Explore the need for a Recommendation on fostering ‘green by design’ features in 
e-commerce and encourage the development of digital tools and their use (2027). 

4.  EFFECTIVE ENFORCEMENT AND REDRESS 

The EU consumer protection framework can only truly succeed in protecting consumers 
and fostering fair competition if it is backed up by strong public and private enforcement, 
and effective redress mechanisms for consumers whose rights have been infringed. While 
EU cross-border cooperation on public enforcement has achieved significant successes in 
the past years, enforcement mechanisms need to be further strengthened to be able to meet 
new  challenges  efficiently  and  effectively.  In  particular,  compliance  rates  remain 
extremely low in digital markets, with sweeps finding that, on average, one in two traders 
are in breach of consumer legislation. The situation has been aggravated by the exponential 
growth of e-commerce, which has led to the growing circulation of unsafe, counterfeit or 
otherwise non-compliant products, mostly originating from outside of the EU24 and often 
marketed using misleading techniques. This endangers consumers and exposes compliant 
European businesses to unfair competition from non-compliant traders. 

To  respond  to  these  challenges,  the  Commission  presented  a  series  of  actions  in  its 
Communication  on  a  comprehensive  EU  toolbox  for  safe  and  sustainable  e-commerce, 
including  customs  reform;  strengthening  enforcement  of  relevant  EU  legislation;  and 
enhancing  coordination  among  all  relevant  authorities.  Envisaged  actions  also  include 
supporting  awareness-raising  campaigns  for  consumers  and  third-party  sellers,  and 
continuing bilateral cooperation with countries of provenance of imported goods. 

Supporting  national  consumer  protection  authorities  in  taking  coordinated  action  to 
enforce consumer law under the Consumer Protection Cooperation (CPC) Regulation, 
including  to  address  infringements  in  the  e-commerce  sector,  is  an  important  priority. 
Coordinated action by the CPC Network has yielded positive results, but shortcomings in 
the current system hinder more effective enforcement. For instance, lengthy procedures, 
the lack of resources at national level, the absence of stronger deterrent measures, such as 
the  ability  to  impose  fines,  and  difficulties  in  addressing  infringements  committed  by 
traders based  outside the  EU,  reduce  the efficiency and the  deterrent  effect  of the CPC 
Network’s  actions25.  To  strengthen  enforcement  and  ensure  a  level-playing  field  for 
businesses that shields compliant traders and protects consumers from market players who 
do not respect the rules, the Commission will propose a revision of the CPC Regulation. 

24 The number of dangerous products notified in the EU Safety Gate rapid alert system has increased by 52% 
since 2019, with the trend accelerating (+61%) in 2024. Up to 75% of dangerous products come from outside 
the EU, and around 50% of those alerts concern dangerous products coming from China. 
25  See:  Report  from  the  Commission  to  the  European  Parliament  and  the  Council  on  the  application  of 
Regulation (EU) 2017/2394 of the European Parliament and of the Council on cooperation between national 
authorities responsible for the enforcement of consumer protection laws.  

13 

 
 
In preparing the revision, the Commission will assess the need for centralised investigation 
and  enforcement  powers  at  EU  level  in  specific  cases  and  how  to  further  strengthen 
coordination among national authorities. 

As  highlighted  in  the  Communication  on  e-commerce,  effective  implementation  and 
enforcement of the new General Product Safety Regulation is essential to protect EU 
consumers from dangerous products and to ensure a level-playing field for businesses. The 
Commission has already set in motion the new market surveillance mechanisms provided 
for by the Regulation, such as simultaneous checks on websites to identify breaches of EU 
law  (‘sweeps’),  which  are  carried  out  by  national  market  surveillance  authorities  and 
coordinated  by  the  Commission.  The  first  EU-level  product  safety  sweep,  focusing  on 
childcare  products  sold  online,  took  place  in  April  and  May  202526.  Building  on  this 
experience, the Commission will continue to work with the Consumer Safety Network to 
pool  resources,  exchange  intelligence  and  prioritise  surveillance  actions  to  effectively 
target the most harmful products. It will also seek to build stronger capacities to support 
the  implementation  of  product  safety  rules  through  the  financing  of  Coordinated 
Activities  on  the  Safety  of  Products  (CASP)  and  the  promotion  of  tools  that  assist 
consumers  and  businesses  in  reporting  product  safety  issues,  accidents  and  dangerous 
products.  Such  tools  include  the  Consumer  Safety  Gateway  and  the  Safety  Business 
Gateway.  Regular  updates  to  the  Safety  Gate  Portal  will  ensure  that  businesses  and 
consumers  have  access  to  all  relevant  information  about  product  safety  rules.  The 
Commission is also providing specific guidelines for economic operators27 on how to 
fulfil their obligations under the General Product Safety Regulation, with a particular focus 
on the needs of operators that qualify as SMEs, including micro-enterprises. 

These efforts will complement the upcoming European Product Act, by strengthening 
links  between  conformity  assessment  checks  and  market  surveillance,  and  possibly 
standardisation.  To  this  end,  the  Commission  will  also  explore  how  inclusiveness  in 
product  design  can  help  prevent  safety  risks  and  support  standardisation  work  to 
translate  legal  safety  requirements  into  practical  tools  for  enforcement  and  consumer 
protection.28.  The  European  Product  Act  will  reinforce  the  rules  for  placing  consumer 
products on the market and update the rules on market surveillance and compliance of 
products.  This  revision  will  also  provide  an  opportunity  to  assess  the  need  for  further 
action  to  make  product  safety  enforcement  more  efficient,  especially  with  respect  to 
imports from outside of the EU, including via e-commerce. 

Effective implementation and enforcement of the General Product Safety Regulation is 
also expected to deliver benefits  for businesses and national authorities.  Increased legal 
certainty  and  the  simplification  in  the  implementation  of  the  general  product  safety 
requirements  will  reduce  compliance  costs  for  businesses.  A  harmonised  market 
surveillance regime for all products, streamlined with the Market Surveillance Regulation, 
can also create synergies for national market surveillance authorities. Enhanced use of IT 
tools  and  strengthening  data  interoperability  for  both  reporting  and  market  surveillance 

26 Half of the product listings lacked the required information on the product manufacturer.  
27  C(2025)  7699  - Commission  Notice  -  Guidelines  on  the  application  of  the  EU  general  product  safety 
legislative framework by businesses; and C(2025) 7701- Commission Notice - Guidelines for the practical 
implementation of the Safety Business Gateway under Article 27(2) of Regulation (EU) 2023/988. 
28  In  particular,  inclusiveness  requires  systematically  considering  a  wide  range  of  anthropometric  data 
representing the diversity of consumers, as well as factors affecting the lives of consumers in a vulnerable 
position, including in relevant European standards, and implementing accessible solutions for persons with 
disabilities. 

14 

 
 
will reduce the burden on authorities and businesses and enable enforcement authorities to 
carry out their tasks more effectively. In 2026, the Commission will assess the practical 
implementation of the General Product Safety Regulation with businesses to look at how 
they apply the Regulation and whether there is a need to help them to be compliant easily. 

Closer coordination and cooperation between enforcement authorities from different areas 
is becoming more important as illegal practices by companies increasingly fall under the 
remit of multiple EU laws and enforcement systems. Currently, such cooperation ranges 
from  written  agreements  to  task  forces  and  other  joint  projects.  The  Commission  will 
further  promote  cooperation  between  EU-level  enforcement  bodies  and  networks  to 
ensure effectiveness, efficiency and coherence among the different enforcement streams. 
For  instance,  enforcement  of  consumer  law  complements  the  application  of  the  digital 
regulations, as demonstrated by the coordinated CPC actions in 2024-2025 and the parallel 
Digital  Services  Act  and  Digital  Markets  Act  investigations  into  the  practices  of  major 
online platforms. 

Data  and  digital  technologies,  including  AI  tools,  are  also  becoming  increasingly 
important in analysing business compliance and ensuring effective enforcement. They are 
already  used  by  enforcement  authorities  for  mystery  shopping,  product  safety  market 
surveillance, fraud detection, price monitoring, and detection of unfair contract terms and 
fake reviews. For example, the EU eLab supports the CPC Network with its investigations 
and regular website sweeps, while the eSurveillance webcrawler detects unsafe products 
that have been notified via Safety Gate but are still on sale or reappear in web shops and 
online  marketplaces.  A  similar  webcrawler,  the  Passenger  Rights  AI  Watch  Tool,  is 
being developed for national enforcement bodies for their monitoring regarding passenger 
rights  and  will  be  available  in  2026.  The  Commission  is  also  working  to  improve  the 
interoperability of existing product data for market surveillance and will support consumer 
and market surveillance  authorities in the strategic use of AI tools in their enforcement 
work, including by seeking synergies between tools developed at national level and tools 
developed at EU level and by training enforcement staff. 

However, enforcement is only one side of the coin. If rules are to be respected in practice, 
consumers  must  be  aware  of  their  rights  and  businesses  of  their  obligations.  Targeted 
awareness  and  education  campaigns;  tools  such  as  the  Consumer  Education  Hub  and 
GreenComp  (the  European  sustainability  competence  framework);  promotion  of 
sustainable  consumption  through  school  education;  training  programmes  such  as 
Consumer  Law  Ready;  and  voluntary  cooperation  initiatives,  such  as  the  Consumer 
Protection  Pledge,  will  remain  an  important  complement  to  enforcement  action.  The 
Commission will also continue to encourage businesses to make voluntary commitments 
to  excellence  and  innovation  for  a  high  level  of  consumer  safety,  notably  through  its 
biennial EU Product Safety Award. 

Even with better awareness and stronger enforcement, disputes will inevitably arise. There 
will therefore also be a focus on ensuring effective redress through the implementation of 
the  revised  Alternative  Dispute  Resolution  Directive,  the  Representative  Actions 
Directive  and,  for  those  cases  in  which  individuals  are  in  fact  harmed  by  a  defective 
product,  the  revised  Product  Liability  Directive.  In  particular,  the  Commission  will 
continue  supporting  consumer  organisations,  members  of  the  judiciary  and  National 
Contact  Points,  in  effectively  managing representative actions under  the  Representative 
Actions Directive. That support will be provided, for example, through EU-funded action 
grants,  seminars  and  the  interactive  Knowledge  Hub  on  the  EC-REACT  platform.  The 

15 

 
Commission  will  also  closely  monitor  implementation  of  the  specific  provisions  of  the 
Representative  Actions  Directive  regulating  third  party  funding.  As  required  by  the 
Directive, the Commission will assess, no later than 2028, whether there is a need for an 
EU  Ombudsman  for  cross-border  representative  actions.  This  will  be  followed  by  the 
formal evaluation of the functioning of the Directive. 

When consumers encounter problems with cross-border transactions, they can also turn to 
the  network  of  European  Consumer  Centres  (ECC-Net)  for  free  legal  advice  and 
support29. The Commission will continue its strong support of ECC-Net to help European 
Consumer Centres further consolidate their capacity to advise and assist consumers. 

These measures will be complemented by action at international level. In all new bilateral 
trade agreements, the EU will continue seeking to secure provisions on product safety and 
market surveillance cooperation, as well as commitments that strengthen consumer trust in 
digital  trade,  including  effective  protection  for  consumers  participating  in  e-commerce. 
Once  it  has  been  integrated  into  the  WTO  legal  framework,  the  plurilateral  WTO  E-
Commerce Agreement will be the first trade agreement that includes such commitments 
on a global scale. 

The EU will continue to cooperate and regularly exchange data via Safety Gate with non-
EU countries, such as China. In line with the EU-UK trade and Cooperation Agreement, it 
will also work with the UK to set up a regular arrangement for exchanging information on 
dangerous non-food products between Safety Gate and the UK’s equivalent Product Safety 
Database.  In  addition,  the  EU  will  continue  supporting  awareness  raising  and  training 
activities  for  non-EU  manufacturers  and  other  actors  in  the  supply  chain,  to  help  them 
understand the single market’s consumer protection and product safety rules. For example, 
an EU project will contribute to supporting consumer protection and product safety policies 
in the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA). At multilateral level, 
following the adoption of the United Nations Principles for Consumer Product Safety, 
the European Commission will support their implementation by assisting UNCTAD with 
the drawing up of guidelines and a handbook on consumer product safety and through EU-
financed capacity-building projects, such as the Competition and Consumer Product Safety 
in Sub-Saharan Africa programme. 

Actions 

•  Propose  a  revision  of  the  Consumer  Protection  Cooperation  Regulation 

(legislative proposal – Q4 2026). 

•  Support  coordinated  enforcement  actions  and  activities  of  the  CPC  Network  to 

tackle widespread breaches of EU consumer law (ongoing). 

•  Take effective action to increase product compliance by tapping into synergies with 
capacities of the EU and national customs and market surveillance authorities 
and potentially establishing an EU Market Surveillance Authority (on-going). 

•  Update the rules on market surveillance and compliance of products, as part of 
the European Product Act, to further enhance the efficiency of EU product safety 
enforcement (legislative proposal - Q3 2026), especially with respect to imports from 
non-EU countries, including via e-commerce. 

29 In 2024, European Consumer Centres recovered over EUR 7.5 million in refunds for consumers.  

16 

 
 
•  Strengthen  implementation  of  the  Representative  Actions  Directive  by  further 
supporting  consumer  organisations,  members  of  the  judiciary  and  national 
authorities (ongoing). 

•  Maximise  the  use  of  AI  in  enforcement  and  market  surveillance  activities,  for 
instance  in  the  digital  investigations  eLab  and  the  digital  toolbox  for  product 
safety market surveillance (by 2027). 

•  Support  awareness  raising  and  training  activities  for  non-EU  country 

manufacturers and other actors in the supply chain (ongoing). 

5.  GOVERNANCE AND STAKEHOLDER COOPERATION 

To  achieve  its  objectives  and  tackle  any  emerging  issues,  the  Agenda’s  governance 
framework must be inclusive, transparent and dynamic. 

The Commission will seek regular discussions with the European Parliament, the Council, 
the  European  Economic  and  Social  Committee  and  the  Committee  of  the  Regions 
regarding the implementation of the Agenda, which will be governed through the existing 
platforms for stakeholder interaction. These platforms bring together high-ranking officials 
from Member States (Consumer Policy Network); consumer protection authorities (CPC 
Network); authorities competent for product safety (Consumer Safety Network); consumer 
organisations,  notably  the  European  Consumer  Organisation  (BEUC),  and  other  civil 
society, business representatives, and academia (Consumer Policy Advisory Group). 

The  annual  Consumer  Summit  will  remain  the  moment  to  discuss  current  trends  and 
emerging issues with the widest variety of stakeholders from across the EU and beyond. It 
will also serve to take stock of the implementation of the Agenda, including the action plan 
for  consumers  in  the  single  market.  Furthermore,  to  review  progress  and  provide 
overarching  political  guidance  on  the  implementation  of  the  Agenda  and  relevant 
consumer  policy  developments,  the  EU  Commissioner  responsible  for  consumer 
protection  plans  to  regularly  convene  a  Ministerial  Forum  on  Consumer  Protection, 
potentially in conjunction with the Consumer Summit. 

In addition to the institutional framework, active governance also requires that the voice 
of all consumers, including consumers from vulnerable groups, be heard. The Commission 
is committed to supporting a strong consumer movement, at both EU and national level, 
including  financially.  For  example,  the  Commission  will  fund  a  follow-up  to  the 
Consumer PRO training programme to further empower consumer professionals to offer 
tailored  advice  to  consumers.  As  outlined  in  the  EU  strategy  for  civil  society,  the 
Commission  will  propose  measures  to  further  increase  the  involvement  and  effective 
participation of civil society organisations, including consumer groups, in public policy-
making processes, as well as to strengthen their protection and support. It will also carry 
out  targeted  outreach  to  involve  young  consumers  in  shaping  consumer  policy  by 
organising a Youth Policy Dialogue on consumer policy. 

The  Commission  will  also  organise  regular  exchanges  with  business  stakeholders  on 
burden  reduction  and  simplification  issues  in  the  area  of  consumer  policy,  including 
implementation dialogues with the Commissioner responsible for consumer protection. 
The  aim  will  be  to  ensure  that  in-depth  discussions  take  place  on  the  challenges  that 
businesses face and possible measures to take, as well as to monitor the progress of the 

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Commission’s  simplification  and  burden  reduction  actions.  A  first  implementation 
dialogue on consumer protection in the digital environment took place in July 2025. 

Consumer data and statistics, such as the biannual Consumer Conditions Scoreboard, 
serve as main sources of evidence for informed policymaking. They are also valuable for 
assessing the impact of European and national policies and taking stock of the progress 
achieved. The Commission will seek to expand the evidence base and promote better use 
of data and research. 

Actions 

•  Regularly convene a Ministerial Forum on Consumer Protection. 

•  Organise a Youth Policy Dialogue on consumer policy (2026). 

•  Hold  implementation  dialogues  on  the  revision  of  the  Consumer  Protection 
Cooperation Regulation (2026) and the General Product Safety Regulation (2027). 

6.  CONCLUSION 

The  European  Union  provides  one  of  the  highest  levels  of  consumer  protection  in  the 
world. This robust framework is essential for the effective functioning of the single market 
and enhances the competitiveness of EU businesses. By providing comprehensive legal 
rights and safeguards, EU consumer policy transforms EU initiatives into tangible benefits 
for all citizens and can act as a pillar of stability during uncertain times. 

The 2030 Consumer Agenda builds on this solid basis and puts forward a set of concrete 
actions to further strengthen consumer protection and tackle current and emerging issues. 
These actions will contribute to creating the trust, safeguards and legal certainty that both 
consumers  and  businesses  need  to  foster  competition,  innovation,  investment  and 
sustainable growth in the EU. 

The Commission  will regularly  take stock of the progress  in  the implementation  of the 
Agenda and will monitor the impact  of the actions undertaken, particularly  through the 
Consumer Conditions Survey. The Commission looks forward to discussing the strategic 
approach, priorities and actions outlined in this Agenda with all relevant institutions and 
interested parties at national and EU level, and to working together to advance consumer 
protection in the coming years. 

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