November 2009

In a Lisbon Council e-brief, Meglena Kuneva, European commissioner for consumer affairs, enters the debate on the future of the internal market with a visionary and thought-provoking paper entitled A Blueprint for Consumer Policy in Europe: Making Markets Work with and for People. This Blueprint, written in Commissioner Kuneva’s personal capacity, expands and adds detail to the vision that European Commission President Barroso put forward in his Political Guidelines for the Next Commission, where he sets out as a priority the need to work for a single market fit for the 21st century that works for people.

A compelling call to position European policy making firmly in competitive, open and transparent markets, Commissioner Kuneva explains how consumer policy must be more firmly embedded in the service sector, as well as the digital economy and green markets. She also lays out specific recommendations on the governance of the internal market, from public enforcement to regulatory actions.

The Blueprint for Consumer Policy in Europe was officially launched at an event hosted by the Lisbon Council in Brussels on Thursday, 05 November, featuring Meglena Kuneva; Mario Monti, president of Bocconi University and former European commissioner for competition and internal market; and Eija-Riita Korhola, MEP and vice-chair, committee on internal market and consumer protection, European Parliament. A summary of the event was published by EurActiv, the leading EU news portal, and can be read here.

Download a Blueprint for Consumer Policy