With the help of other interested parties, the European Commission wants to identify the areas where EU consumer protection law should be improved. This is, therefore, the objective of a public consultation it has just launched. Citizens, businesses and consumer associations are asked to contribute by 8 October.
A report analysing European law in this area was published by the Commission at the end of May and concluded that there was room for improvement on consumer rights, especially when it comes to online marketplaces and "free" online services where consumers provide their personal data instead of paying. The report also concluded that there was room for improvement on the way consumers can seek redress or remedies when harmed by unfair commercial practices, and on the introduction of penalties for breaches of consumer law.
The public consultation was launched on 30 June, following the agreement reached between the European Parliament and EU Council on 22 June on strengthening cooperation between the national authorities responsible for enforcing the protection of consumer rights in the online single market against cross-border breaches of European dimension (see EUROPE 11814). (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)