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Over the years, coordination of national policies through the European Semester has been enlarged to include key elements from employment and social policies that are mainly a national competence. Part of the European Semester is the annual Joint Employment Report. It triggers a debate on progress made towards achieving a more social Europe and on the adequacy of the indicators used. Ϸվ expresses its opinion, without the Council being obliged to take it into account. Ϸվ is scheduled ...

As products have become more complex in the digital age, the need for a new directive on liability of defective products has arisen. The new directive will revise the existing Product Liability Directive, adopted nearly 40 years ago in 1985. The directive brings the European Union's product liability regime up to speed with the digital age, circular economy business models and global value chains by ensuring that consumers receive compensation for defective products, including those manufactured ...

On 29 November 2023, the European Commission adopted a proposal for a directive amending Directive (EU) 2015/2302 on package travel and linked travel arrangements, to improve protection for travellers and simplify and clarify certain aspects of the current directive. The Commission announced in a 2020 communication on a new consumer agenda that it would look into revising the directive following the turmoil caused by the mass cancellations during the COVID-19 pandemic. The proposal is the result ...

Online commerce is a defining feature of the modern world. It opens up opportunities for consumers and businesses alike. For consumers, it can mean a wider choice of goods and services at cheaper prices. For business, it offers new ways to reach larger markets. The borderless nature of online commerce means that, today, such opportunities within the EU are also open to businesses from elsewhere, and this phenomenon has been on the rise in recent years. Many consumers are familiar now with the advantages ...

Toy safety regulation

Briefing 09-12-2024

On 28 July 2023, the European Commission adopted a proposal to revise EU toy safety legislation, by introducing a new regulation and repealing Directive 2009/48/EC. The proposal pursues two main objectives: a higher level of child protection, including from the most harmful substances; and fewer non-compliant and unsafe toys on the EU market. In relation to the first objective, the proposal extends the definition of health to children's psychological and mental health and to their wellbeing and cognitive ...

Alternative dispute resolution

Briefing 29-11-2024

Alternative dispute resolution (ADR) is a process allowing complaints to be settled out of court with the assistance of an impartial dispute resolution body. Through ADR, consumers can settle a complaint against a trader for breach of contract, outside court procedures, assisted by impartial, neutral dispute mediation, arbitration or conciliation. Since 2013, the share of e commerce in the EU economy has increased significantly, up from 2 % to 4 % of EU gross domestic product (GDP), increasing the ...

The current EU consumer protection cooperation framework has been in place for almost 5 years. This framework provides important means for consumer protection authorities in the Member States to enforce the EU consumer law acquis, to the benefit not only of consumers throughout the Union, but also of a functioning and legally predictable single market. The European Commission has started to reflect on the functioning of the consumer protection cooperation enforcement framework. Sufficient time has ...

VAT in the digital age

Briefing 22-10-2024

Value added tax (VAT) is one of the key revenue raisers in national budgets, accounting on average for almost a fifth of all tax revenue collected in the EU; and yet, sizeable amounts of VAT revenue are lost to fraud. Moreover, VAT rules place a considerable administrative burden on businesses. On 8 December 2022, to help fight VAT fraud and reduce this burden, the European Commission tabled a three-part proposal for a directive on VAT in the digital age. The proposal has three main objectives. The ...

The EU's new product safety rulebook contains obligations for economic operators (i.e. manufacturers, importers and distributors) which import products from third countries, as well as specific rules for online marketplaces. This legislation was signed into law on 10 May 2023 and will apply from 13 December 2024. During the October II part-session, Ϸվ will debate a statement from the Commission on product safety and unfair competition, with regard in particular to online imports from third ...

Behavioural taxes, such as those levied on tobacco, alcohol, and fossil fuels, serve as instruments to influence consumer behaviour, as well as to collect revenue. By levying these taxes, governments seek to discourage the consumption of products that contribute to (significant) negative externalities, such as health costs or climate change. However, the design and implementation of such taxes can be quite complex, with volatile revenue collection. Additionally, public acceptance and consumer responses ...