Consumer Agenda 2025-2030 and action plan on consumers in the Single Market
Written By
Of Counsel
Netherlands
I am a Principal Regulatory Counsel in our Regulatory & Public Affairs practice in the Netherlands and Brussels. I have a focus on tech and comms and digital markets regulation, drawing on in-depth business knowledge and extensive experience in TMT and public administration.
EU Commissioner Michael McGrath has been tasked to present a Consumer Agenda 2025-2030. The Consumer Agenda 2025-2030 will build on the New Consumer Agenda of 2020, setting out renewed priorities and actions to address current and upcoming challenges in consumer policy. The Agenda will include an action plan on consumers in the Single Market, to ensure consumers do not face unfair discrimination, keep benefits when crossing borders and are protected when buying goods or services. By strengthening consumer protection, supporting consumers’ well-being and promoting a level playing field for businesses, the Agenda will help achieve key EU objectives: promoting a fair transition to a green and digital economy and boosting competitiveness and economic growth with social cohesion, the Commission said. On 19 May 2025, the Commission published a call for evidence for public consultation.
Key topics
- Cross-border shopping delivery and payment restrictions.
- Growing circulation of unsafe products coming from outside the EU.
- New technologies and data-driven practices that undermine consumer choice
- Online unfair commercial practices related to dark patterns, misleading marketing by influencers and addictive design of digital products.
- Practices by online retailers, online games or other non-intermediated content not covered by the Digital Services Act that may still pose risks to consumers.
- Limited availability of straightforward and affordable sustainable choices.
- Accessibility of essential products and services for vulnerable consumer groups, including older people and persons with disabilities and reduced mobility.
- Administrative burdens and complex regulatory requirements hindering the capacity of businesses, particularly small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and mid-caps, to operate efficiently, to comply with the rules, and to compete in the global market.
- National and international coordination of enforcement of different laws by various authorities.
The Agenda will complement other key initiatives in the consumer area, such as a Digital Fairness Act to tackle manipulative and unethical commercial practices in the digital space, reduce legal uncertainty for businesses, avoid regulatory fragmentation, and facilitate enforcement.
Next steps
The public consultation for the Call for Evidence runs until 11 August 2025. The adoption of the Agenda is planned for the fourth quarter of 2025.
For further information, please contact Feyo Sickinghe
