Redress and enforcement

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Consumer groups red card Meta’s latest pay-or-consent policy

The European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) has written to relevant EU enforcement authorities to share its concerns that Meta’s latest pay-or-consent...

Privacy and personal data protection Enforcement Online platforms
EU consumer protection authorities pile additional pressure on Temu for use of unfair commercial practices

National consumer protection authorities (the Consumer Protection Cooperation network, or CPC), coordinated by the European Commission, have piled...

Product safety Enforcement Online platforms
Airlines greenwashing: what solutions?

If you’ve been browsing for plane tickets recently, you surely have come across a flurry of claims praising how sustainable flying is. “Compensate...

Unfair commercial practices Consumer information Enforcement
Authorities back consumer groups in taking action against Meta pay-or-consent policy

Today, the European Commission and national consumer protection authorities in the EU (the Consumer Protection Cooperation network) announced they...

Privacy and personal data protection Enforcement
Surging online marketplace Temu flouting new EU law meant to keep consumers safe

Consumer groups from the BEUC network have today filed complaints with authorities against booming Chinese online marketplace Temu for failing to...

Product safety Enforcement Online platforms
Topics
Alternative Dispute Resolution
Collective redress
Consumer Justice Enforcement Forum (CoJEF)
Enforcement
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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COVID-19 - implications for consumers and BEUC recommendations for policy responses
COVID-19 - implications for consumers and BEUC recommendations for policy responses
- PDF Document - 369.11 KB

Access to medicines
Banking and payment services
Collective redress
Consumers and trade
Energy consumer rights
Energy markets
Enforcement
EU competition policy
Food safety
Investor protection
Medical devices
Online platforms
Privacy and personal data protection
Product safety
Sustainable mobility
Telecommunications
Transparency & governance
Transport and passenger rights
Unfair commercial practices
Available in English
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Settlement reached: Volkswagen to compensate consumers in Germany affected by Dieselgate
Settlement reached: Volkswagen to compensate consumers in Germany affected by Dieselgate
- PDF Document - 109.32 KB

Collective redress
Sustainable mobility
Available in English
German consumer group Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband (vzbv) and Volkswagen (VW) have reached an out-of-court settlement to compensate drivers affected by the 2015 Dieselgate emissions scandal. This is the result of a model case (“Musterfeststellungsklage”) launched by vzbv against the car maker on behalf of more than 400,000 consumers.
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Besides our efforts to improve laws, their enforcement and providing redress when they are breached are also focal points of our work. National enforcement authorities need adequate powers to investigate and stop infringements, while they should cooperate among themselves and with consumer associations to ensure coherent enforcement of consumer rights throughout the EU.

If consumers are harmed, various redress tools, including independent Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) and effective Collective Redress procedures, should be available for consumers to obtain the compensation to which they are entitled. Our work has recently expanded to cover EU competition policy where the EU can take action against monopolies in the market which harm consumer choice

  • Collective Redress procedures have to be available and efficient in all Member States
  • Consumers being able to rely on independent ADR bodies, available in all sectors with common adherence of business
  • Enforcement stepped up throughout the EU
  • Encouraging the EU to continue to be a strong player in competition policy