Category: International affairs
Our takeaway from the AI Action Summit: consumer protection isn’t what is holding Europe back in AI
The AI Action Summit in Paris was the place to be last week and we delivered a clear message to global leaders: consumer protection will help the take-up of AI, not harm it, writes BEUC's Agustín Reyna.
Stamped, sealed, delivered: Can customs bring sustainability home?
During my yearly winter rewatch of Sex and the City, I never imagined customs and sustainability would inspire my very own Brussels-trade-bubble Carrie Bradshaw column. But here we are—customs, consumers, and sustainability. I couldn’t help but wonder…
The EU’s trade policy can be sustainable – and here is how
With the failure of the World Trade Organisation to address climate issues in trade, BEUC's Mykyta Sobko looks at how to tackle the pressing issues of sustainability and consumer concerns in trade policies.
EU-UK divorce deal: What (not) to replicate in future EU trade policy
While the EU-UK trade & cooperation deal is a very specific one, building on a formerly integrated consumer market, wider EU trade policy can draw lessons from it.
Why we need to take the COVID supply chain debate sector by sector
The COVID crisis has led to debates on whether to ‘reshore’ our supply chains. This is a very complex issue, writes Monique Goyens, as she argues for a sector by sector approach.
Is it safe to buy products online from the other side of the world?
Consumers now buy things from anywhere in the world in a few clicks. But consumer groups' research shows the safety of these products is not always guaranteed. Online shops are urged to act responsibly and authorities should work together across...
Consumer greetings from Buenos Aires: My days at the WTO Ministerial Conference
Last week, the 164 members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) convened in Buenos Aires for their biannual ministerial conference. Although expectations before the conference were low, they were undercut by the actual outcomes. Most countries had hoped for fresh...
Making ‘open trade’ and the global market work for EU consumers
“Open trade must go hand in hand with open policy making,” Jean-Claude Juncker said in his annual State of the Union speech last week. With this statement he kicked-off changes in the way the European Commission conducts trade negotiations. His...
What the fipronil egg crisis tells us about the pitfalls of open markets
Looking back at the summer of 2017, two things people will probably remember are the summer hit Despacito and the egg crisis. When it comes to the eggs the short version goes like this: In July, Belgian authorities alerted their...
Consumer rights in trade agreements: a missing element?
In the past years, consumer organisations have worked intensively on the EU’s trade agreements with the US (TTIP) and Canada (CETA). We’ve stressed the advantages and challenges of these agreements and demanded that consumers benefit from them. For better or...