European Consumers' Organisation

BEUC, the European Consumers' Organisation, acts as the umbrella group in Brussels for its members and its main task is to represent them at European level and defend the interests of all Europe's consumers. BEUC investigates EU decisions and developments likely to affect consumers, with a special focus on five areas identified as priorities by its members: Financial Services, Food, Digital Rights, Consumer Rights & Enforcement and Sustainability.

Right to Repair and Ecodesign: Win for consumers as EU Parliament vote to enhance product longevity — 24 April 2024, 00:15 CET

Today, the EU Parliament formally adopted ambitious rules to help consumers repair their goods easily and make their products last longer. BEUC, who has supported and contributed to this important commitment from the outset, hails the votes as a consumer win.

Letta report identifies untapped potential of Single Market for consumers — 17 April 2024, 23:55 CET

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

EU Parliament introduces improvements to pharma package without going full mile for consumers — 10 April 2024, 23:39 CET

The EU Parliament has proposed some positive changes to the pharma package, the EU's largest reform of pharmaceutical legislation in twenty years, but these are unlikely to go far enough to significantly improve people's access to medicines.

Commission Digital Markets Act enforcement against tech giants a boost for consumers — 25 March 2024, 19:03 CET

Today, the Commission has launched investigative proceedings against Meta, Google and Apple for failing to comply with the EU’s new Digital Markets Act, in a move that will encourage consumers that they will get greater choice in online markets.

European Health Data Space a compromise between healthcare needs and protecting data — 18 March 2024, 01:04 CET

The European Health Data Space agreed on 15 March by the EU institutions is a step forward to improve healthcare. However, the institutions should have given more choice to people to decide for themselves who their data is shared with, and for what purpose.

EU Commission protects consumers in Apple music streaming case — 04 March 2024, 18:27 CET

The European Commission's decision today that Apple broke EU antitrust rules by restricting consumers’ choice of music streaming services in the EU's Single Market is a strong signal in favour of consumers.

EU consumers want strict enforcement of new online rights under Digital Markets Act — 04 March 2024, 18:24 CET

The EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA) offers consumers important new opportunities for more choice and protection online - but this will only happen if these rights are effectively implemented by gatekeepers. That's why, ahead of the 7 March deadline for Big Tech companies to comply with their new obligations, BEUC calls on the DMA enforcer, the European Commission, to take prompt and effective enforcement action if gatekeepers fail to do so.

Consumer groups launch complaints against Meta's massive, illegal data processing behind its pay-or-consent smokescreen — 29 February 2024, 18:46 CET

Eight consumer groups from the BEUC network are today filing complaints with their national data protection authorities against Meta, on the basis the tech giant does not adhere to the principles of fair processing, data minimisation and purpose limitation of the GDPR.

EU consumers support new laws for better farm animal welfare, survey shows — 27 February 2024, 23:13 CET

A new survey carried out in 8 EU countries shows that most consumers support better welfare for the animals raised for food and expect EU decision makers to act. BEUC and its members call on the EU Commission to heed consumers’ concerns and fulfil its commitment on animal welfare, by proposing new laws and updating existing ones.

EU's Digital Services Act to improve consumer protection online — 16 February 2024, 23:35 CET

This Saturday marks the moment the Digital Services Act will apply in full to online platforms and marketplaces. Consumers will be better protected from rogue sellers, no longer have their sensitive or children's data used for targeted ads, and can opt for more privacy regarding recommender systems.

Consumers could be fully reimbursed for payment fraud according to European Parliament vote — 14 February 2024, 23:47 CET

Consumers could be fully reimbursed if they become a victim of an impersonation scam according to a vote in the European Parliament’s ECON Committee today.

EU 2040 climate targets: consumer groups urge roll out of ambitious laws — 07 February 2024, 00:12 CET

Today the EU Commission has proposed a 90% cut in the EU’s greenhouse gas emissions by 2040, compared to 1990 levels in a bid to become carbon neutral by 2050. To reach this target, BEUC, the European Consumer Organisation, calls on decision makers to make the roll out of ambitious climate legislation their number one priority.

EU rules to help consumers repair their products — 02 February 2024, 23:16 CET

Last night, the EU reached a deal on the right to repair proposal that will help consumers repair their goods more easily and use their products longer. BEUC welcomes the new rules which will put pressure on producers to make high quality and repairable products.

Missed opportunity to make consumer home renovation easier — 14 December 2023, 22:40 CET

European legislators have reached an underwhelming deal on the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) which will not make it substantially easier for consumers to renovate their homes. The ambition in the European Commission’s original proposal was diluted by conservative governments and groups in the European Parliament.

Keys to consumer health data should lie more with consumers — 06 December 2023, 23:43 CET

EU countries have today agreed they would prefer their governments to take many of the important decisions surrounding access to consumers’ health data.

New EU labelling requirements for chemicals to benefit consumers — 06 December 2023, 00:33 CET

Product labels on common household chemicals such as detergents, glues, and drain cleaners will get a minimum font size and colour, while online sales will have to display the same information as physical labels.

EU Member States inexplicably ignore calls for end to expensive intra-EU calls for consumers — 06 December 2023, 00:30 CET

National governments have shunned the strong case for banning surcharges on intra-EU communications (calls, text messages and data usage), which are the charges that telecom operators can apply when you call or text somebody living in another EU country from your home country.

New EU law to make sustainable products the norm a major step for consumers — 06 December 2023, 00:26 CET

Last night, the European legislators struck a deal which aims to make sustainable products the norm in the EU market.The new rules under the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) will make products more repairable and durable by design and will restrict unsustainable practices, such as the destruction of unsold textile and footwear items.

The EU can do better to protect passengers and their rights — 29 November 2023, 22:46 CET

Today, the European Commission published the long-awaited Passenger Mobility Package which includes Passenger Rights initiatives and a proposal for a revised Package Travel Directive. These important files could secure more rights for passengers and holidaymakers when travelling and booking package travel. BEUC welcomes the intention to update EU passenger rights and ensure their enforcement. However, some of today’s proposals are not enough.

Consumers to get much-needed rights and protections from their gas supplier — 29 November 2023, 00:30 CET

Consumers will get much-needed new protections from their gas suppliers after European lawmakers struck a deal today on the EU's 'Gas Market Package'.

European Parliament votes to help consumers get their products repaired — 22 November 2023, 00:15 CET

Today, the European Parliament has adopted rules that will give consumers new rights enabling them to use their products longer. BEUC supports the Parliament's position, which will pressure producers to ensure their products are repairable and of good quality. We call on Member States to adopt an equally ambitious position for upcoming negotiations.

Consumer groups' launch EU-wide complaint against major water bottle producers for greenwashing — 07 November 2023, 23:18 CET

Today, BEUC and member organisations from 13 countries have reported to EU authorities misleading commercial claims about the recyclability of their products by major drinking water bottle traders, such as Coca-Cola, Danone and Nestlé Waters/Nestlé.

EU Commission’s proposal fails to strengthen out-of-court dispute resolution for consumers — 17 October 2023, 23:17 CET

Today, the European Commission published a proposal to modernise the rules on consumer Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR). Consumer ADR gives consumers and traders the possibility to solve their disputes out-of-court in a process which should be simple, fast, and affordable.

Preventable yet everywhere: harmful chemicals found in all kinds of consumer products underline need for stricter EU regulation — 10 October 2023, 17:08 CET

In a new compilation of recent product tests by its members - national consumer organisations across Europe - BEUC finds that everyday consumer products are awash with harmful chemicals. BEUC calls on the EU to urgently reduce people's exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), endocrine disruptors, and other chemicals of concern.

Major EU law to ban carbon neutral claims and help consumers make sustainable choices — 20 September 2023, 23:25 CET

Consumers will be granted new rights to help them make more sustainable choices following a deal struck yesterday by European legislators on the 'Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition Directive'.