Informal videoconference of the EU Ministers for Consumer Protection: Strengthening European consumer protection and enabling it to withstand future crises

Met dank overgenomen van Duits voorzitterschap Europese Unie 2e helft 2020 (Duits Voorzitterschap) i, gepubliceerd op maandag 7 december 2020.

Chaired by German Federal Minister Christine Lambrecht, today an informal videoconference of EU Consumer Protection Ministers was held as part of Germany’s Presidency of the EU Council.

Federal Minister of Justice and Consumer Protection Christine Lambrecht stated:

The economic recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic will require consumers to have confidence in providers, platforms and products. We will make sure that the goods and services we know from the “analogue” world are also safe in the world of e-commerce. And we will take stronger action against unfair business practices on online platforms. Furthermore, we will strengthen cooperation between Member States and EU institutions, ensuring that consumers are able to assert their rights across European borders.

EU Consumer Protection Commissioner Didier Reynders i:

The New Consumer Agenda aims to take EU consumer policy to a stronger level of protection. I am convinced that consumers will be key drivers of the recovery and of the green and digital transitions. The Agenda introduces measures that will promote a fair digital and green society, taking into account that consumer behaviour transcends borders of individual Member States. Our collective mission with all the Member States is now to fully equip consumers with all the necessary tools, so they can play their essential role in shaping tomorrow’s world.

The meeting focused on the EU Commission's New Consumer Agenda, which sets out a strategic approach to European consumer policy for the next five years. The Consumer Agenda covers the following five key priority areas:

  • Green transition
  • Digital transformation
  • Effective enforcement of consumer rights
  • Specific needs of certain consumer groups
  • International cooperation

Following a presentation of the Agenda by Commissioner Didier Reynders, the Chair of the Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection, Anna Cavazzini, outlined the position of the European Parliament.

The strategic approach of the New Consumer Agenda and its proposed action points were welcomed and discussed by the Consumer Protection Ministers. With a view to ensuring that consumer policy is capable of withstanding future crises, the debate focused on the lessons learned so far from the COVID-19 pandemic. Other key discussion areas included the topics of sustainability and digitalisation, which represent core issues in the field of consumer protection. These were discussed mainly in relation to the sustainability goals of the United Nations 2030 Agenda, the Digital Services Act and the legal framework for artificial intelligence.

The Consumer Protection Ministers agreed on the following points in particular: