Commission launches public consultation on a New Consumer Agenda
Today, the European Commission has launched an EU-wide open public consultation on the new European consumer policy for the next period, the so-called ‘the New Consumer Agenda’. The public consultation will provide valuable insight for the setting up the New Consumer Agenda that the European Commission intends to adopt by the end of 2020. Didier Reynders, Commissioner for Justice, said: “The shift of many consumer activities online, the climate change effects, and most recently the coronavirus pandemic have emphasized the need for a fresh look at the key challenges facing consumers and the best way to tackling them. European citizens and businesses alike need a consumer policy that reflects the widespread attention to sustainability, the use of digital technologies on a massive scale, and the unprecedented globalisation of consumer markets. This is why I encourage citizens, companies, consumer organisations and lawmakers to make their voices heard.” The new Agenda will set out the main consumer policy priorities in the EU for the years to come. It will aim to update EU consumer policy in key areas: tackling the new challenges brought by digitalisation, the rising importance of environmental issues, the increased need of international cooperation, the issue of proper enforcement of consumer rights, and protecting vulnerable consumers. It will also draw lessons from and take into account the impact of the coronavirus crisis. To achieve its goals, the New Consumer Agenda will propose an intensified cooperation between the Commission and the EU Member States as well as with key stakeholders, including consumer organisations and businesses. The open public consultation launched today includes questions on overall consumer policy strategy, on empowering consumers for green transition, and on the reviews of the Consumer Credit Directive and of the General Product Safety Directive. Participants have until 6 October to send their contributions. The public consultation can be found online.
