ECC-Net: From 20 Years of Service to the Next Consumer Agenda
On 12 November 2025, ECC-Net celebrated twenty years of service at a high-level anniversary event in Brussels. Organised by DG JUST, the celebration brought together Commissioner McGrath, senior EU officials, national authorities, trader representatives and consumer organisations, alongside digital-era influencers who helped spotlight the Network’s mission to a new generation. Panels reflected on ECC-Net’s past and future.
ECC-Net turns 20: celebrating two decades of protecting Europe’s consumers
The 20th anniversary highlighted what makes ECC-Net exceptional: its ability to translate complex EU law into real-world solutions for citizens, to bring trust to the Single Market, and to act as Europe’s early-warning system for new consumer challenges. It's also a wonderful occasion to reflect on two decades of cooperation, commitment, and consumer empowerment across Europe.
Looking back: a united approach
One of ECC-Net’s greatest achievements has been turning diversity into unity — 30 centres (now 29+1), operating under different legal systems, consumer cultures and languages, yet working together with one shared purpose: to make the Single Market fairer and more accessible for all consumers.
From Brexit to COVID-19, from cancelled flights to digital disputes, the Network has never stopped helping consumers – not even for a single day. Over time, we’ve evolved into a resilient, flexible network, transforming every challenge into a learning opportunity.
Looking forward: ECC-Net welcomes the new EU Consumer Agenda and stands ready to deliver
After 20 years, the ECC-Net has reached maturity. We know who we are and what we bring: trusted advice, cross-border cooperation, and valuable data for better EU policy. As we look to the next decade, this role becomes even more essential.
On 19 November, the European Commission published the Consumer Agenda 2025–2030, setting out an ambitious roadmap tackling digital unfairness, platform accountability, travel rights, fraud prevention, and sustainable consumption. ECC-Net strongly welcomes this direction and is encouraged to see many long-standing issues raised by the Network now reflected in the Agenda’s flagship actions.
We are particularly pleased to see:
- A strong focus on online practices and the Digital Fairness Act
Addressing dark patterns, influencer abuses, opaque pricing, and manipulative app design directly responds to thousands of cases ECC-Net handles annually. - A dedicated initiative on cross-border car rental
For years, ECC-Net has documented significant consumer harm in this sector, from unfair damage charges to non-transparent contracts. A structural EU response is overdue. - Evaluation of the Geo-Blocking Regulation
ECC-Net welcomes the Consumer Agenda’s focus on the Geo-Blocking Regulation and its forthcoming evaluation, as improving cross-border access to the Single Market and addressing remaining implementation challenges remain central to consumers’ everyday experience. - Enhanced protection against financial fraud and better payment security
Victims of authorised push-payment scams often turn to ECCs first. Stronger fraud-prevention tools and reimbursement rules are essential to help consumers avoid typical scams and to ensure secure financial practices. - Reinforced enforcement and cross-border cooperation
The Agenda recognises the need for faster action by the Consumer Protection Cooperation Network (CPC), better use of data, and closer links between enforcement and consumer-facing entities. - Progress on repairability, sustainability, and transparency
Consumers frequently report difficulties with accessing repairs or understanding durability claims, illustrating a need for more transparency about products and environmental impact. Additionally, information on the right to repair and redress options should be clear and easily accessible for consumers.
The 2030 Consumer Agenda identifies key priorities for strengthening consumer protection, digital fairness, sustainability, and enforcement mechanisms. ECC-Net, thanks to its role as a cross-border advice and assistance network, external alert mechanism, and provider of evidence to authorities, can contribute meaningfully within its mandate.
ECC-Net is ready to be a key supportive pillar in implementing the agenda!
Further enhancing consumer protection in e-commerce
ECC-Net notes the following areas where further ambition would benefit consumers:
- Platform accountability for unsafe and non-EU traders
Too many non-EU sellers bypass EU rules via online marketplaces. Obligations for EU-based representatives should be strengthened and systematically enforced. - Stronger measures on parcel liability and cross-border delivery
Consumers still face a regulatory vacuum when parcels disappear between jurisdictions. Clearer liability rules would address a major cause of complaints, while stronger enforcement could prevent e-commerce traders from shifting the burden of proof on consumers.
Looking ahead
ECC-Net stands ready to support the implementation of the Consumer Agenda through structured data reporting, early warnings of systemic risks, and continued assistance to millions of EU consumers. As the Network enters its third decade, its mission remains unchanged: ensuring every consumer can participate safely, confidently, and fairly in the Single Market.
Want to know more?
Read more in the European Commission's press release on the Consumer Agenda 2025-2030.
For ECC-Net's perspectives and recommendations, see our policy paper Advancing Consumer Protection for the New EU Consumer Agenda | European Consumer Centers Network.