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Passenger rights under threat: Member States must urgently fix EU proposals

As negotiations on the reform of passenger rights move full steam ahead, BEUC warns that this legislative train is dangerously off track. The...

Sustainable mobility Transport and passenger rights
European Commission reveals blind spots in protecting consumers online

The European Commission published the results of its Digital Fairness Fitness Check on EU consumer law. The report evaluates whether EU consumer law...

Consumer policy
Consumer groups denounce video games’ manipulative spending tactics

Today, BEUC and 22 member organisations* from 17 countries submitted a complaint to EU authorities on the unfair practices of leading video game...

Unfair commercial practices
BEUC concerned Lufthansa/ITA decision could harm consumers given lack of clarity on remedies

BEUC, representing the interests of consumers in 31 European countries, regrets the lack of clarity around the remedies that have led to the European...

Transport and passenger rights Competition and sustainability Mergers
Spain fines four airlines for hand luggage policies: an important step for consumers

Today, the Spanish Ministry for Social Rights, Consumers and the 2030 Agenda has fined four airlines (Ryanair, Vueling, Easyjet and Volotea) for...

Transport and passenger rights
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Legal guarantee rights
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Transport and passenger rights
Unfair commercial practices
Unfair contract terms
Consumer groups welcome new EU consumer policy strategy for the next five years
Consumer groups welcome new EU consumer policy strategy for the next five years
- PDF Document - 140.4 KB

Consumer policy
Enforcement
Available in English
Today the European Commission adopted the “Consumer Agenda”, its consumer policy strategy for the next five years. It lays down the Commission’s consumer policy objectives and will serve as guidance to include consumer interests in all policy areas. Focus areas are the green and digital transition as well as the post-COVID economic recovery.
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Five years after Dieselgate scandal, Volkswagen still failing to compensate European consumers
Five years after Dieselgate scandal, Volkswagen still failing to compensate European consumers
- PDF Document - 88.51 KB

Collective redress
Sustainable mobility
Available in English
A report from The European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) released five years after the Dieselgate scandal finds that VW is continuing its stalling tactics, exploiting legal loopholes and taking advantage of the uneven access to justice of European consumers. In short, the report confirms that VW is doing everything to avoid compensation payments to EU consumers – while paying out $9.5 billion in compensation to defrauded US car owners just months after the scandal broke. It also highlights that Europe’s legal systems lack the necessary tools to tackle mass claims.
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Reform of rail passenger rights - EU policymakers fail to meet passenger expectations
Reform of rail passenger rights - EU policymakers fail to meet passenger expectations
- PDF Document - 111.79 KB

Transport and passenger rights
Available in English
Reviewed European rail passenger rights agreed today by the Member States and the European Parliament lack ambition and are a missed opportunity to promote rail travel. Despite hopes of rail being central to the green recovery and ahead of the 2021 European Year of Rail, EU decision-makers made small improvements in limited areas, but watered down passenger rights in others in today’s compromise.
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The world is changing fast. The green transition and digitalisation are trends that are having - and will have - a significant impact on consumers. BEUC is at the forefront of efforts to ensure consumers are front and centre in a greener and more digital Europe.

The EU’s flagship climate programme - the European Green Deal - will bring big changes for consumers, whether it is greener and more durable products or energy efficient home renovation. Consumer buy-in will be central to the Green Deal’s success and BEUC’s work is centred around ensuring the green transition is both affordable and accessible to all consumers. 

The digitalisation of the economy is also posing challenges to consumer protection. BEUC is leading efforts to ensure that EU consumer law adequately protects consumers in today’s digital world, whether it’s protection from ‘dark patterns,’ unfair online advertising and privacy-intrusive profiling and personalisation, or when dealing with connected products.

Efforts to ensure consumer protection in the green and digital transitions go hand-in-hand with wider efforts to strengthen consumer rights, such as the right to meaningful information, protection against unfair terms and practices, or the right to remedy when things go wrong.

BEUC is also working to ensure passengers – across all modes of transport – and travellers enjoy strong and enforceable rights, including for multimodal journeys. BEUC will also ensure that passengers are protected against airline insolvency and that there is a review of pre-payment business models in the tourism sector, which have proved unsustainable in times of crisis.

  • Continue to update and modernise EU consumer law as society becomes increasingly digitalised:
    • Meet challenges of consumer protection by strengthening consumer rights, such as the rights to receive correct information, to not be misled, to be protected against unfair terms and unfair practices, or to have remedies available in case of faulty goods
    • Consumers should have effective remedies available if traders breach EU consumer law
  • EU air passenger rights legislation improved and completed. Legislation must be better enforced to ensure the difficulties consumers face when travelling by air are reduced
  • Defend the consumer voice during the EU’s fitness check of consumer law (REFIT)
  • Make sure consumers are protected when it comes to who is liable for a defective product