EC Calls For COVID-Inspired Consumer Protections

The European Commission on Tuesday, June 30, proposed revisions to two sets of EU regulations protecting consumer rights.

“We are stepping up consumer protection on two fronts: we are making it easier for consumers to avoid risks related to having a credit and we are putting even stronger rules for product safety in place,” Věra Jourová, vice president for values and transparency, said in a news release. “It will also put more responsibility on market players and make it more difficult for bad actors to hide behind complicated legal jargon.”

The Commission stated that its move is prompted by the way COVID-19 has accelerated digitization while leaving many people facing financial uncertainty.

Last year, 71% of consumers shopped online, often purchasing new gadgets. The Commission’s proposed General Product Safety Regulation will introduce product safety rules for online marketplaces to address risks such as cybersecurity threats.

“The new regulation will make certain that marketplaces [fulfill] their duties so that consumers do not end up with dangerous products in their hands,” the Commission stated.

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