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...
Roaming done. International calls next
Since 15 June, roaming fees in the EU are part of history. That is undoubtedly great news for consumers and a big step towards the creation of a single market for telecom services. But it has also created a terrible...
Why cooperation should be the Brexit-buzzword
The European Union counts more than 30 agencies. Scattered throughout the EU – in Heraklion, Valenciennes, London or Bilbao – they perform specific tasks to help the EU implement its policies and prepare its decision-making. The agencies deal with cyber...
Financial guidance: the missing tool!
When you’re sick, you go to see a doctor. They usually provide a medical diagnosis and a resulting course of action. It’s the same for legal situations, where you go see your lawyer or notary. But who do you consult...
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...
Me, myself and I(nsurance)
“I have lost 10 kilos over the last year”, an energetic insurance lobbyist told me last week. He told me that his smart watch had registered all the calories he had managed to shed. “Don’t I deserve a cut in...
Mhealth – opportunities and privacy risks
Out of the apps on your phone, how many of them are about health, fitness or lifestyle? Quite a few probably. Mobile health (mHealth) is trendy. It has the potential to transform the way healthcare is delivered because it allows...
Making clean cars work for consumers in the 2020s
In the next decade, the automotive sector has a huge chance to rid itself of its bad-boy-Dieselgate tag and clean up the cars of the future. This means an investment in technologies that will cut emissions and the cost of...
Playing with consumers’ health: game over?
When you can’t access a drug treatment because of its price, you’ve probably run out of options. This is what happened some years ago to some patients affected by a severe eye disease [1]. They were denied treatment due to...