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Safety without borders: International Product Safety Week 2016

The International Product Safety Week will take place this year from 14 to 18 November. Regulators and stakeholders from more than 40 countries will meet to exchange their ideas and experiences on current product safety matters. This year, the event will focus on the challenges brought about by the digital economy.

 
European Consumer Summit 2016

The European Commission's Directorate-General for Justice and Consumers hosted the 2016 edition of the European Consumer Summit: "EU consumer law: still fit for purpose? Achievements and challenges", on 17 October 2016 in Brussels.

 
The European Commission sheds light on territorial restrictions in the online environment

The European Commission has published key findings of its survey on geo-blocking in the EU Digital Single Market (DSM), a practice which prevents consumers in a given country from shopping online from other EU countries due to geographical restrictions imposed by online retailers. Geo-blocking is a significant cause of consumer dissatisfaction and fragmentation in the Internal Market, as it limits consumer opportunities and choice when shopping online goods and services cross-border within the EU.

 
Commission publishes study aimed at combatting consumer vulnerability

Today, the Commission has published a study which looks into the difficulties consumers face in getting the best or fairest deals. Consumers facing these difficulties may be more likely to have negative experiences when attempting to make purchases, choosing, or switching providers. The study identifies the main reasons behind this vulnerability and what can be done to enable consumers to make better use of their rights and the alternatives the marketplace offers. A special focus is directed at the challenges consumers face in the online environment, as well as in the finance and energy sectors.