On 20 July, the European Commission launched the digital product passport register. The digital product passport will contain information on various products, such as their origin, reuse options, instructions for use and regulatory compliance. It will normally be available via a QR code or a similar digital format. It will increase transparency in supply chains […]
The Commission fines AliExpress €550 million for breaching the Digital Services Act
On 20 July, the European Commission fined AliExpress €550 million for failing to fulfil its obligations under the Digital Services Act (DSA) to diligently assess and mitigate risks associated with the sale of illegal, unsafe or counterfeit products on its e-commerce platform. The Commission has ordered the platform to take action in this regard. Failure […]
The new tariff for small parcels in e-commerce will improve fairness for EU businesses
The EU is scrapping an outdated customs duty exemption for e-commerce parcels worth less than €150. This measure will help ensure a level playing field for EU businesses and safe options for consumers, in response to the exponential rise in billions of low-value e-commerce goods entering the EU. Goods from third countries, purchased online and […]
The Commission is simplifying energy and tyre labelling and making it more accessible to European consumers
European consumers, suppliers and retailers of household appliances, electronic devices and tyres will benefit from the simplified labelling rules proposed by the Commission. The simplified energy labelling and tyre labelling rules will make the requirements easier for suppliers and retailers to comply with, whilst ensuring that consumers receive the information they need when purchasing a […]
The Commission will work with the industry on the deactivation of video games by publishers
The European Commission will work with consumers and publishers in late 2026 to explore ways of improving industry standards, in response to the European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) ‘Stop Destroying Videogames’. Modern video games often rely on publishers’ servers to function. Publishers may cease to support these servers, rendering the games partially or completely unplayable. The ECI […]
Internships – European Economic and Social Committee – Belgium
The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) is a consultative body that gives Europe’s economic and social partners (i.e. employers, trade unions, representatives of small businesses, farmers’ associations, consumers, etc.) the opportunity to give their formal opinion on EU policies. Twice a year, the EESC organises training periods for long-term (five months) and short-term (one […]
Commission launches investigation into Shein under the Digital Services Act
The European Commission has today opened formal proceedings against Shein under the Digital Services Act for its addictive design, lack of transparency in its recommendation systems, and the sale of illegal products, including child sexual abuse material. More specifically, the investigation will focus on the following areas: The systems Shein has implemented to limit the […]
The EU invests €650 million in cross-border energy infrastructure
The European Commission will allocate around €650 million in grants from the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) to help finance fourteen cross-border energy infrastructure projects. These projects will play a key role in strengthening the EU’s energy security, increasing the integration of renewable energies and, consequently, Europe’s competitiveness. As highlighted in the recently adopted European electricity […]
Consumer protection: Council approves updated Alternative Dispute Resolution directive
The Council gave its final approval to a directive updating, simplifying and improving the existing framework for alternative dispute resolution. Alternative dispute resolution refers to out-of-court methods of resolving disputes between consumers and traders, usually with the help of impartial third parties. The legal text adopted today aims to make alternative dispute resolution a more […]