Tag: consumers

The European Commission has proposed increased DNA testing of meat products to assess the scale of a scandal involving horsemeat sold as beef that has shocked the public and raised concern over the continent's food supply chains.

Following the scandal that saw a woman die from a faulty breast implant one year ago, the EU has moved to tighten up regulation on medical devices. But industry says the new proposal “does not contribute to patient safety” and will affect the EU’s speed to market and cripple innovation.

A nutritious diet that includes plenty of fruits and vegetables might be healthier for humans but not necessarily healthier for the environment, according to a French study.

EU ministers will hold a meeting in Brussels tomorrow (13 February) to deal with the fallout from the horsemeat scandal as investigations in France and the UK continued yesterday.

Swedish frozen-food company Findus withdrew all its beef lasagna ready meals from supermarkets after tests revealed they contained up to 100% horsemeat. But the investigation took an EU-wide dimension as British investigators found evidence of "gross negligence or possibly criminality" involving several countries.

Many EU consumers believe that their food, cleaning and beauty products contain chemicals, and are most likely to check food products for chemicals before buying, according to a new Eurobarometer survey.

Joaquín Almunia’s predecessor as competition commissioner, Neelie Kroes, ended her five-year mandate having barred two mergers. The previous negative decisions hinged on potential harm to consumers and whether harm could be offset by increased network efficiencies, write Mario Mariniello and Alice Gambarin.

The origin country of products is a key criteria for EU consumers when buying food, says a new survey by the European Consumer Organisation (BEUC). The organisation recommends an update of EU food labelling legislation.

The European Commission has hailed a UN agreement that will establish the first global treaty to cut mercury pollution. Specific household items will be blacklisted and new controls on power plants and small-scale mines will be introduced, the United Nations said on Saturday (19 January).

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) yesterday (8 January) opened a public consultation on the safety of Aspartame after studies in 2010 linked the sweetener to health conditions.

INTERVIEW / The Dutch multinational Unilever wants to boost its participation in EU research programmes to develop the breakthrough technologies it needs to cut the water use and CO₂ emissions of its products by half – two of its key environmental objectives.

EU lawmakers have agreed on two new systems for settling disputes between shoppers and traders over goods and services sold online or across EU borders.

A French organisation has launched a system which allows consumers to evaluate the health and environmental impact of the products they buy, by giving each item a ‘green’ rating.

Tonio Borg was confirmed by European lawmakers in Strasbourg today (21 November) but the Socialists & Democrats (S&D) group was left divided after its decision to reject the Maltese candidate for the job of EU health Commissioner was ignored by MEPs.

The European Parliament has shown overwhelming support for a Commission proposal to help businesses and consumers resolve cross-border legal disputes in a vote in Strasbourg yesterday (20 November).

EU countries must do away with the distorting influence of state intervention and step up efforts to implement internal energy market rules, which could save consumers an estimated €13 billion a year, says a report by the European Commission released Thursday (15 November).

The European Commission's energy market communication, to be published on 15 November, indicates that there are major obstacles to the implementation of the internal energy market by the target date, 2014, writes Georg Zachmann.

Denmark has decided to abolish its fat tax after barely a year, citing too many negative side effects hitting businesses. A proposed sugar tax that was meant to be introduced in 2013 has also been scrapped.

Switching energy suppliers and settling disputes still take too long in EU countries, says a review by the Council of European Energy Regulators.

Environmental groups frustrated by Commissioner John Dalli’s outward support of the genetically modified food industry are hoping his successor will take a tougher line.

EXCLUSIVE / Tonio Borg, the replacement candidate for John Dalli as Malta's EU commissioner in Brussels, has denounced attacks against him as "gross calumny and lies" ahead of a European Parliament confirmation hearing next Tuesday. German lawyers and politicians have piled pressure on Borg ahead of the hearing. EurActiv Germany reports.

The dispute between former Health Commissioner John Dalli and Commission President José Manuel Barroso turned personal yesterday (24 October) as the pair traded legal threats.

This week offers us an opportunity to look back at the significant achievements that have been made in opening up Europe's markets. There is no doubt that it has provided new opportunities to businesses and consumers, who can take advantage of a market place that boasts over 500 million consumers, writes Malcolm Harbour.

The EU’s fishing industry could be heading towards ruin without robust regulatory reform, says a new WWF-commissioned study published today (16 October).