The new European Commission – what consumers expect over the next five years

PRESS RELEASE - 17.12.2019

The top priorities for action by the new European Commission to advance the interests of Europe’s consumers during its five-year mandate have been outlined by The European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) in mission letters sent to nine members of the new Commission team. 

These top priorities include: 

• ensuring that artificial intelligence and new technologies serve consumer interests rather than harming consumers
• promoting consumer products that last longer in place of breaking too early
• protecting consumers from exposure to harmful chemicals
• food labelling requirements that make it easy for consumers to choose healthy foods
• making sure that consumers have easy access to the medicines they need, at affordable prices.

Monique Goyens, Director General of BEUC, said: 

“The new European Commission has promised to take action against climate change and to regulate artificial intelligence. The climate, and how algorithms will shape products and services, are rightly high on the Commission’s agenda. It is crucial that the Commission makes sure that its measures work for consumers.” 

Other priorities include: 

• a new EU Consumer Agenda that ensures consumer interests are effectively protected and more systematically integrated into all relevant EU policies, with strong enforcement of consumer protection legislation 
• ensuring the EU’s Single Market benefits Europe’s consumers in terms of increased choice of goods and services and better value for money through enforcement of competition rules and pro-active infringement policy   
• strengthening product safety, cybersecurity and data privacy for consumers 
• measures to enable consumers to move towards more sustainable modes of transport 
• making the EU’s new trade policy work for consumers, notably in terms of enforcement of consumer rights, product safety, digital rights and sustainability 
• a focus on how consumers can help in the fight against climate change, for example through cutting energy consumption, when implementing its European Green Deal 
• pushing for stronger consumer safeguards for financial services, including trustworthy financial advice and inclusive, fair and privacy-friendly insurance  
• giving consumers access to greener products and services as well as clean air. Plastics pollution should also be reduced. 

The mission letters are available here: 

• The consumer mission letter for a European Green Deal to Executive Vice-President Timmermans
• The consumer mission letter for the internal market to Commissioner Thierry Breton
• The consumer mission letter for a Europe fit for the Digital Age to Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager
• The consumer mission letter for transport to Commissioner Adina-Ioana Vălean 
• The consumer mission letter for trade to Commissioner Phil Hogan
• The consumer mission letter for energy to Commissioner for Energy Kadri Simson
• The consumer mission letter for An Economy that Works for People to Executive Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis
• The consumer mission letter for justice and consumer affairs to Commissioner Didier Reynders
• The consumer mission letter for the environment to Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius
• The consumer mission letter for health and food to Commissioner Kyriakides