Overcoming the financial hurdle to home renovation in Portugal
Portugal's housing is posing a challenge to its climate goals and illustrates the difficulties facing us to reduce emissions from buildings
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.
Air pollution hot spots revealed by consumer groups in Lithuania, Poland and Slovakia
Long-term exposure to nitrogen oxide (NO2) in certain areas raises numerous questions, a citizen science project by BEUC members in Slovakia, Lithuania and Poland shows. At a time when the European Commission is about to present its Zero Pollution Action...
EU proposals to shape the digital landscape, a step forward for consumers
Just as the European Parliament and the EU’s Council of Ministers are gearing up to begin their scrutiny of the European Commission’s December 2020 proposals for a Digital Services Act (DSA) and a Digital Markets Act (DMA), it is timely...
Use price to change our transport habits
We can clean up our mobility system without it feeling like an uncomfortable sacrifice. This requires fair price signals and incentives that make sustainable transport options affordable and attractive.
Shifting heat: how to get consumers on board the energy transition
In September, the European Commission announced plans to raise its 2030 EU-wide greenhouse gas reduction target, from 50% to 55%. For energy consumers, the biggest change will be in how we heat our homes, with a big shift away from...
Research is for the people: but where are the people?
A few weeks ago, the European research community held its annual powwow with the European Research and Innovation (R&I) Days, organised by the Commission’s Directorate-General in charge of research. The event gathered (virtually) more than 20,000 participants. It was an...
Green labels: which ones can you trust?
Many of us have gone through quite a few changes this year. Among them is people’s accelerated take-up of more climate-friendly habits. Bike sales have skyrocketed, demand for organic food has risen, and many among us chose to travel closer to home over summer. This is good news on the climate front,...
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.
COVID-19 shows blatant need to rethink how we develop medicines
If the coronavirus crisis is described by the media as “an unprecedented crisis”, for scientists it is not. They knew that a new pandemic would emerge one day. It was only a matter of time. We were not sufficiently prepared...