In recent years, the need for consumer education has become increasingly evident at European level: completion of the European single market, economic and monetary union, new information technologies, liberalisation and increasingly sophisticated strategies for promoting products and services all have a significant effect on consumers.

The long-term aim is to raise the level of awareness and understanding by consumers of their rights and interests, particularly across borders. Consumer education initiatives should help individual consumers understand and apply their rights and take advantage of the Internal Market opportunities.