Commission presents 2030 Consumer Agenda
On November 19 the European Commission published its 2030 Consumer Agenda. 2030 Consumer Agenda sets out the EU’s strategic priorities for consumer protection in the digital economy over the next five years, complementing the existing Digital Markets Act and Digital Services Act. The Agenda focuses on three overarching goals: strengthening consumer protection rules and enforcement, addressing unjustified cross‑border restrictions, and fostering sustainable consumption. A central legislative initiative will be the proposed Digital Fairness Act (DFA), intended to address unfair commercial practices across the digital economy and not only for intermediary platforms already covered by the DSA.
Under the heading of protecting consumers online, the DFA (expected in Q4 2026) will target practices such as dark patterns, addictive design features (including gamification), and exploitative personalization, with particular emphasis on safeguarding minors. The Agenda also highlights the need for fair and transparent use of AI in consumer markets, through effective enforcement of the AI Act together with the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive and the General Product Safety Regulation. In parallel, the Commission plans to bolster protections against online fraud, combining preventive measures with improved victim support.
Enforcement is another key pillar. The Commission intends to revise the Consumer Protection Cooperation Regulation (proposal expected Q4 2026) to reinforce cross‑border enforcement, explore targeted centralization of EU enforcement powers in specified cases, and enhance coordination among national authorities. The Agenda also aims to strengthen the operation of the Representative Actions Directive by supporting consumer organizations, judges, and national authorities in managing collective actions. By 2027, the Commission plans to deploy AI‑driven tools for enforcement and market surveillance, including the digital investigations eLab and a digital toolbox for product safety.
Finally, the Agenda seeks to reduce cross‑border barriers and promote sustainable consumption. It announces a review of the Geo‑Blocking Regulation (expected Q2 2026) and tools to tackle unjustified territorial supply constraints, including unilateral practices by large manufacturers (expected Q4 2026). On sustainability, the Commission will consider a recommendation on “green by design” features in e‑commerce, promote interactive eco‑labels, and support Member States in enforcing product and consumer laws to address greenwashing and improve product durability and repairability. Combined with growing enforcement activity in the UK and globally, the Agenda signals a more assertive, coordinated regulatory environment for digital markets, particularly in sectors such as e‑commerce, social media, gaming, travel platforms, retail, and financial services.
