Press releases

Today, the German federal administrative court has ruled in favour of allowing local authorities to ban heavily polluting vehicles. Such bans are intended to improve urban air quality and are part of a wider reaction to the Dieselgate emissions scandal.

Consumer protection in the EU for the purchase of goods could be weakened following a poor vote in the European Parliament Internal Market (IMCO) Committee today. Members of the committee decided to remove the free choice of remedies which currently exists in several countries when a consumer discovers a fault with a product he bought.

A European Parliament committee has today voted to give consumers greater rights in tomorrow’s energy market. The energy (ITRE) committee was voting on Commission proposals to reform the electricity market out to 2030.

Member States would be obliged to freeze current minimum standards around guarantee rights, if an EU Parliament committee vote on Thursday 22 February goes as expected. As a result, they would no longer be able to give better guarantee rights for goods to consumers, following pressure from MEPs from liberal and conservative parties.