JRC scientific and analytical work fed into the 2015 Consumer Conditions Scoreboard, a flagship publication by the Directorate General on Justice and Consumers. The JRC conducted literature reviews, econometric analysis ‒ both micro-data and national level data ‒ and quality control tests for the coherence and robustness, which helped to revise the Consumer Conditions Scoreboard (and the Consumer Conditions Index included therein), so as to ensure that the Scoreboard meets international quality standards.

The 2015 edition of the Consumer Scoreboard shows that cross-border e-commerce is still an under-developed market in Europe: 61% of consumers feel more confident buying online from their own country than from another EU country (38%). The scoreboard which focuses on The Digital Single Market also found that the lack of trust, territorial restrictions and price discrimination are still barriers to cross-border e-commerce.

Věra Jourová, Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality said: "The 2015 Consumer Scoreboard confirms that consumers do not yet fully trust cross-border e-commerce. One of the priorities of the Juncker Commission is to complete the Digital Single Market and unleash its full potential. This is why we have to lift the remaining barriers to cross-border e-commerce. By the end of the year, the Commission will propose new rules offering better access for consumers and businesses to digital goods and services across Europe."

Press release

JRC publications:

Consumer conditions in the EU: revised framework and empirical investigation