Press releases

A European Union law is set to enter into force this Saturday putting an end to the practice of surcharges on card payments, credit transfers and direct debits.

Today the European Commission proposed to beef up checks of consumer goods available in the EU such as toys, phones or TVs.1 The main proposal is to increase EU Commission staff to assist Member States in better monitoring the merchandise that ends up on the market.

EU energy ministers meet on Monday to agree to a common line on Commission proposals to reform the electricity market, manage a transition of Europe’s energy supply to renewables and roll out new technologies like smart meters. Despite much of the positive rhetoric surrounding this file, ministers are emptying the Commission proposals of many of its advantages.

The European Parliament just failed – by three votes – to block a proposal from the EU Commission to authorise the use of phosphates in döner kebabs and gyros1. Although phosphate additives are not allowed in these meat preparations, some producers have been unlawfully adding them in kebab meat sold across the EU. There are concerns over their health effects and their water-binding properties, which manufacturers could abuse to bulk out meat with water.