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70% of ringtone-scam websites cleaned following EU investigation
70% of websites investigated for mis-selling ringtones, wallpapers and other mobile phone services have been corrected or closed, following an 18 month EU consumer crackdown carried out by 27 Member States, Norway and Iceland.
Speech (PDF version  )
Press Release (PDF version )
Frequently Asked Questions (PDF version)
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Why not chat online with Commissioner Kuneva about how EU Consumer law can help you as a consumer in your daily life?
On 23 October at 15:00 CET, EU Consumer Commissioner Meglena Kuneva will chat online with consumers from all over the EU. The chat will focus on how EU consumer law helps consumers in practical terms."
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Citizens' Energy Forum: consumers, industry and regulators endorse recommendations for user-friendly energy bills
The Citizens' Energy Forum meeting in London on 29-30 September, endorsed recommendations for good practice in energy billing, aiming to provide EU consumers with simple, clear and informative
gas and electricity bills. EU Consumer Commissioner Meglena Kuneva expects that better bills will help EU consumers to save money and use less energy. Currently less than half (45%)
of consumers find it easy to compare offers from energy providers, which can be one of the key reasons why only 8% of consumer switched providers in the past two years.
View examples of good electricity bills
Press Release (PDF version )
Fact sheet (PDF version )
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EU acts to limit health risks from exposure to noise from personal music players
Press Release
Memo
Speech
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Commission report criticises “opaque” bank fee charges
There are widespread problems with the way banks inform and advise their customers according to a European Commission report on retail financial service published on 22 September. Specific problems include information which in many cases is difficult to understand, opaque bank fees, problems with advice and low levels of switching. The report describes the price structures of current accounts as "very opaque making it almost impossible for consumers to know how much they are paying and to compare different offers."
Press release (PDF version )
Fact sheet (PDF version )
Full report
Study on bank fees
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EU crackdown on websites selling consumer electronic goods
On 9 September, EU Consumer Commissioner Meglena Kuneva announced the results of an EU-wide investigation into misleading advertising and unfair practices on websites selling consumer electronic goods. The clampdown covered 369 websites selling six of the most popular electronic goods to consumers in the EU - digital cameras, mobile phones, personal music players, DVD players, computer equipment and game consoles.
Press release
Questions and Answers
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EU promotes independent comparative product testing in six new countries
Consumers in Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovenia looking for a good value for their money are gaining
access to reliable comparative information on a broad range of popular products, from washing machines to mobile phones.
On 3 September, national consumer associations and members of International Consumer Research and Testing (ICRT) met with the European
Commission to wrap up an EU-supported project aiming to give consumers in the six countries access to the results of independent, comparative testing of consumer products.
Press release (PDF version )
Questions and Answers (PDF version )
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European Consumer Centres – transport remains the number one problem sector for consumers
In 2008, the European Consumer Centres Network (ECC-Net) handled over 62.000 contacts with EU consumers who turn to them
for advice or for help with problems in the course of cross -border shopping, both in person and online. In 2008, there was an
increase of 22% in the number of consumers turning to them directly for help. Transport remains the number one problem sector for consumers,
accounting for one third of all the complaints handled by the network.
Press Release
Full Annual Report 2008
ECC success stories: examples of resolved complaints
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EU-wide complaints-classifying system to speed up policy response to failing markets
On 7 July, the European Commission unveiled a blueprint for an EU-wide method for classifying and reporting consumer complaints, inviting public comments on the proposal.
The number of consumer complaints is a key indicator of market health. Currently, about 700 complaint-handling organisations exist in Europe, and most of them use their own
classifications, which makes an overview very difficult, even at a national level. The method should enable national and EU policy makers to more quickly and effectively target markets which are failing consumers.
Press Release
Communication
Staff working document with the draft method
Online questionnaire
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