Press releases

Members of the European Parliament’s industry committee voted to bring down the charges phone operators have to pay each other if their customers use a foreign network. The reform of these so-called wholesale roaming fees is a pre-condition for the abolition of retail fees, which is what consumers pay, to happen in June next year.

The leading legal affairs committee in the European Parliament today cleared a draft law which would allow consumers to use their home online subscriptions for games, video streaming or music when travelling in another EU Member State. Currently, many restrictions to use subscriptions abroad exist. Following this vote, MEPs and EU governments will start negotiations to agree to a final text.

Today, EU ministers agreed on plans to make it easier for consumers to buy products online from shops located in other Member States. Following the publication of a proposal in May of this year to stop geo-blocking, EU governments and the European Parliament are now deciding on what amendments they want to put forward. Geo-blocking is a common practice under which retailers refuse to sell goods and services to people living in other EU countries.

Owning and running a fuel-efficient car should become much more affordable between 2020 and 2030 compared with today, provided new technologies are brought to the market. This is the main finding of a new study released today by The European Consumer Organisation, BEUC.