Consumers

The 2020-2025 consumer agenda focused on empowering consumers in the green and digital transitions, addressing unfair online practices.

Work is ongoing on the consumer agenda 2025–2030, which will set a shared vision and strategic framework for consumer policy through 2030. It will include an action plan for consumers in the single market and focus on completing the single market, strengthening enforcement and online protection, promoting sustainable consumption, supporting vulnerable consumers, enhancing governance and cooperation, and reducing administrative burdens.

The EU also supports national consumer organisations and BEUC, the European-level consumer organisation, and funds projects on education, debt advice, and protection for vulnerable consumers.

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Key achievements

• The EU single market offers consumers access to greater choice, flexibility, quality and value for money. EU consumer policy ensures that people’s rights will be upheld if they encounter any problems when buying goods or services from other Member States, building trust and encouraging trade, including online.
• EU consumers benefit from some of the highest protection standards in the world. These include transparent electricity bills, clear pricing in shops, fair roaming charges, and robust rights for online purchases, all underpinned by EU consumer law.
• EU General Product Safety Regulation ensures that only safe products, whether made in or outside the EU, are available for sale to consumers (online or in a traditional shop), creating a level playing field for businesses.
• The Safety Gate website provides daily updated information on dangerous products found on the market by national authorities.
• The EU offers consumers a set of practical rights when something goes wrong. Online shoppers have 14 days to reconsider their purchase and withdraw. They may return a product within 2 weeks and get their money back.
• If an item bought in the EU (online or in a shop) is not as advertised or does not work properly, the consumer has the right to at least a free repair or replacement.
• EU rules on mortgage credits ensure clear information in advertisements and timely information to consumers before signing a contract.
• There are minimum standards for passenger rights across all modes of transport, including information, assistance and compensation in the event of cancellations or long delays.
• The EU also provides information on available tools to help consumers and traders to resolve their disputes, via the consumer redress website. This allows consumers and traders to resolve disputes over online purchases.
• The European Consumer Centres Network provides free help and advice to consumers on their cross-border purchases. In 2024, over EUR 9 million were refunded to consumers thanks to the ECC-Net.
• Over 300,000 consumer disputes are resolved every year through the out-of-court dispute resolution entities in the EU. With the review of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Directive, more consumer disputes would be resolved this way.
• Strict rules ensure that unsafe products are recalled from the market, with hundreds of products notified via the EU’s rapid alert system for dangerous non-food products every year.
• Thanks to the European Accessibility Act, there are EU-wide accessibility requirements for certain products and services, promoting digital inclusion for persons with disabilities.