Consumer protection
There are several institutions and organisations in Europe that deal with different aspects of consumer protection. They are a good starting point to find out more about a particular aspect of consumer protection and to identify the appropriate institutions at national level. Depending on their remit, they may also be the main point of contact for policy advocacy. On this page you will find European institutions and their agencies, plus European organisations and foundations with special interest in consumer protection.
European Commission
In the European Commission, The Directorate-General for Justice and Consumers develops and carries out the Commission's policies on Justice and fundamental rights, and on Consumers.
On the consumer protection side, their key priorities are explained in detail in the New Consumer Agenda, an official policy document addressed to the European Parliament, to strengthen consumer resilience for sustainable recovery.
They provide excellent safety tips to consumers, and work on key initiatives such as:
Coordination with national consumer bodies
Information on consumer groups in EU countries, including:
- consumer bodies operating in each country;
- information on public funding of consumer organisations;
- networks or bodies that bring together consumer organisations and public authorities;
- information on national consumer policies.
The European Consumer Centres Network
A network of independently-managed offices co-funded by the European Commission. The national offices can:
- explain your rights as a consumer
- help you settle a dispute with a seller based in another EU country (or Iceland or Norway)
- tell you who to contact if they can't help
Follow the link for more information and list of national offices.
Safety Gate, the alert system for dangerous non-food products
Safety Gate circulates quickly all information on measures taken against non-food dangerous products among the national authorities responsible for product safety in the Single Market countries. Their alerts are a fundamental part of this website: we reformat their exceptional public feed with a focus on informing and empowering consumers, within the limits allowed by EU and national legislation and with the intention to increase awareness on the work of European institutions. There is no affiliation between Alerter and the European Commission, nor economic compensation. Alerter is a voluntary initiative.
Indications and tools to resolve your consumer complaint
This service includes:
- The alternative dispute resolution for consumers, which allows consumers and traders to settle disputes quickly and inexpensively without going to court;
- The European small claims procedure, a streamlined system for bringing consumer disputes to court where the trader is in a different EU country;
- The Online Dispute Resolution platform, that allows consumers and traders to settle disputes relating to online purchases with the assistance of an impartial dispute resolution body;
- A list of out of court resolution bodies by country.
Energy efficient products and labelling
Information on energy savings, energy labelling and ecodesign requirements for all products, grouped by categories.
EU Ecolabel
The official European Union voluntary label for environmental excellence. Established in 1992 and recognised across Europe and worldwide, the EU Ecolabel certifies products with a guaranteed, independently-verified low environmental impact.
EISMEA
The European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA) implements the European Innovation Council and manages other EU programmes focusing on SME support, innovation and the single market. Consumers are one of the main pillars of the single market programme. It focuses on promoting the interests of consumers and ensuring a high level of consumer protection and product safety..
Consumer rights and complaints
The European Commission has also a dedicated page for consumer rights and complaints.
European Parliament
The Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO committee) is responsible for the legislative oversight and scrutiny of EU rules on the single market, including the digital single market, customs and consumer protection. The committee works with Member States and the Commission to ensure that single market rules are practicable and implemented fully and on time. It is a privilege to Chair this important Committee and to work with Members from across the political spectrum to bring real benefits to consumers and businesses across the single market.
You can learn more about the committee meetings, events and documentation in the official website.
BEUC
BEUC is the umbrella group for 46 independent consumer organisations from 32 countries. Their main role is to represent them to the EU institutions and defend the interests of European consumers. Their daily work involves making sure the EU takes policy decisions that improve the lives of consumers. This covers a range of topics including competition, consumer rights, digital rights, energy, redress and enforcement, financial services, food, health, safety, sustainability and trade policy.
The BEUC secretariat is in Brussels and has a staff of more than 50.