Page 4 - Social_Sustainable consumerism

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Introduction to the topic

• Strengthening the enforcement of consumer rules through coordinated action against breaches of EU
consumer law in the form of checks of websites (sweeps) by networks of national consumer protection
authorities; and simple, fast and low-cost out-of-court procedures for consumers to seek redress available
as a result of the Directive on alternative dispute resolution (2013) and the Regulation on online dispute
resolution (2013);

• Integrating consumer interests into key sectoral policies through new legislation in sectors such as tele-
communications, digital technologies, energy, transport and food, and new measures to increase trans-
parency and access to retail financial services and to make it easier for account holders to switch bank
accounts;

• Empowering consumers the main objective of the EU Consumer Policy Strategy, as described in the Com-
mission working paper entitled ‘Consumer Empowerment in the EU’, which aims to empower EU consum-
ers through choice, information and awareness of consumer rights and means of redress.

The Consumer Agenda also identifies challenges, such as moving towards more sustainable consumption
and addressing the specific needs of vulnerable consumers.