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Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband

vzbv

Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband is a German umbrella organization representing consumer interests to policymakers and businesses.

Lobbying Activity

German consumer group urges tougher EU media rules for AI

17 Dec 2025
Topic — The European Commission is evaluating and updating rules for audiovisual media services.
Message — The group demands mandatory risk assessment guidelines and the inclusion of AI-generated media. They also seek a clear definition to ban subliminal advertising techniques.123
Why — Stronger rules would provide consumers better protection against harmful digital content.4
Impact — Online platforms and advertisers would face more oversight and compliance duties.5
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German consumer group demands universal postal service protection in EU Delivery Act

14 Nov 2025
Topic — Reform of EU postal and parcel delivery regulations to ensure affordable cross-border services.
Message — The organization demands maintaining universal postal service, ensuring cross-border consumer rights and tracking, transparent information on delivery times and costs, and accessible complaint management systems with clear responsible parties.12345
Why — This would protect vulnerable consumers in rural areas who depend on reliable postal services.6
Impact — Postal operators lose flexibility as universal service obligations require maintaining unprofitable rural delivery networks.7
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Response to Food and Feed Safety Simplification Omnibus

14 Oct 2025

Vzbv, the Federation of German Consumers Organisations, thanks the Commission for the opportunity to provide feedback to this call for evidence. Vzbv recognises that the Commission aims to reduce bureaucracy and support competitiveness, and stresses that this aim must not undermine consumer protection, public health, or the environment. In the document attached, we provide our feedback, giving recommendations on how food standards can continue ensuring that consumer access food and feeds that are safe. These standards not only protect consumers, helping them making safe and informed choices, but they also provide trust in the EU food systems. Therefore, the European Commissions plans to reduce corporate bureaucracy and reporting standards must maintain the same consumer protection levels, ensuring EU food laws still delivers for the worlds safest market.
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German Consumer Group Demands Strong Digital Rules Without Deregulation

14 Oct 2025
Topic — EU's Digital Omnibus aims to simplify and harmonise digital legislation.
Message — The organisation urges the EU to simplify digital rules without weakening consumer protections. They call for prohibiting tracking and profiling for advertising, maintaining strong GDPR enforcement, preserving AI Act safeguards, keeping robust cybersecurity reporting, and introducing joint liability for online marketplace operators.1234
Why — This would preserve their advocacy position and prevent erosion of consumer protections they helped establish.56
Impact — Data-driven platforms and advertisers lose expanded tracking rights and exemptions from compliance requirements.78
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Meeting with Birgit Sippel (Member of the European Parliament)

14 Oct 2025 · Digital Fairness Act

German consumer group urges EU to uphold CO2 fleet targets

10 Oct 2025
Topic — EU revision of CO2 emission performance standards for new cars and vans.
Message — The organization demands that existing CO2 fleet limits be maintained without weakening. They argue that softening targets would undermine the transition to sustainable vehicles and send a devastating signal to consumers. They also call for efficiency requirements for battery electric vehicles based on kWh/km consumption, and mandatory cradle-to-grave life cycle analyses for all vehicles.1234
Why — Maintaining strict CO2 targets would ensure consumers gain access to affordable zero-emission vehicles and lower operating costs.56
Impact — Car manufacturers lose flexibility to delay investment in clean technologies and continue selling high-emission premium vehicles.789
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German consumer group calls for realistic EV efficiency labels

10 Oct 2025
Topic — Revision of EU rules on car labelling for fuel consumption and emissions.
Message — The organization requests an absolute EU-wide label based solely on energy consumption, expansion to used cars and new sales channels, and efficiency classes for electric vehicles. They want realistic consumption data instead of test values and information on charging performance.1234
Why — This would help consumers identify economical vehicles and make informed purchasing decisions based on realistic operating costs.567
Impact — Heavy vehicle manufacturers lose systematic advantages from weight-based classifications that favour larger cars.89
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Meeting with Jan-Christoph Oetjen (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur)

30 Sept 2025 · Air Passenger Rights

German Consumer Group Demands Mandatory Through-Tickets for All Rail Journeys

22 Sept 2025
Topic — EU revision of rail passenger rights to protect combination ticket holders.
Message — The organization demands that railway companies be legally required to offer through-tickets for both national and international journeys. They argue the current voluntary approach is insufficient and leaves passengers without continuous protection.12
Why — This would give passengers simplified ticket purchasing and guaranteed rights across entire journeys.34
Impact — Railway companies lose flexibility to avoid liability by selling separate tickets with disclaimers.5
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Meeting with Delara Burkhardt (Member of the European Parliament, Rapporteur)

17 Sept 2025 · Green Claims

Meeting with Katarina Barley (Member of the European Parliament)

27 Aug 2025 · aktuelle VerbraucherInnenthemen

German Consumer Group Opposes Weakening GDPR Documentation Duties

5 Aug 2025
Topic — EU proposal to reduce administrative burdens for small mid-cap enterprises through deregulation.
Message — vzbv rejects limiting documentation of processing activities to only high-risk cases. They advocate for maintaining current accountability standards to protect fundamental rights. Supporting businesses through training and templates is preferred over removing legal obligations.12
Why — Retaining strict documentation standards preserves consumer trust and long-term digital economic stability.3
Impact — Consumers lose protections if firms bypass identifying data risks and regulatory oversight.4
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vzbv Demands Consumer Interests Stay Central in Digital Networks Act

11 Jul 2025
Topic — EU consultation on the Digital Networks Act to modernize telecommunications infrastructure and connectivity.
Message — The vzbv requests that the European Commission prioritize consumer welfare over the international competitiveness of telecommunications operators. They demand the retention of specific end-user rights, including contract limits, number portability, and strict net neutrality protections.12
Why — These protections prevent predatory pricing and ensure consumers can switch providers freely.34
Impact — Large telecom operators lose the ability to introduce network fees and consolidate monopolistic power.56
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Meeting with Jan-Christoph Oetjen (Member of the European Parliament)

5 May 2025 · various consumer transport issues

Meeting with Marco Giorello (Head of Unit Communications Networks, Content and Technology) and Apple Inc. and

13 Mar 2025 · Code of Conduct on Online Advertising – Workshop 3

Meeting with Marco Giorello (Head of Unit Communications Networks, Content and Technology) and EuroCommerce and

6 Mar 2025 · Code of Conduct on Online Advertising – Workshop 2

Meeting with Marco Giorello (Head of Unit Communications Networks, Content and Technology) and EuroCommerce and

4 Mar 2025 · Code of Conduct on Online Advertising – Workshop 1

Meeting with Sergey Lagodinsky (Member of the European Parliament)

26 Feb 2025 · Exchange of views

Meeting with Rita Wezenbeek (Director Communications Networks, Content and Technology) and

11 Feb 2025 · Opening Session: DSA roundtable discussions on online advertising (Article 46 DSA)

Meeting with Svenja Hahn (Member of the European Parliament) and BUSINESSEUROPE and

29 Jan 2025 · Renew Europe Stakeholder Roundtable: “Elevator Pitch for Better Single Market Rules”

Meeting with Alice Kuhnke (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur for opinion) and Bureau Européen des Unions de Consommateurs and

27 Jan 2025 · Passenger rights

German consumer group demands stronger research access controls for platforms

10 Dec 2024
Topic — EU rules on vetted researchers accessing data from very large online platforms.
Message — The organization requests that civil society organizations be explicitly included as eligible researchers, that platforms prove business secrecy claims with specific evidence, and that fee charging be explicitly prohibited. They want clearer standards for conflict-of-interest checks and stronger cooperation mechanisms between national Digital Services Coordinators.12345
Why — This would enable consumer advocates to conduct platform research without prohibitive costs or administrative barriers.67
Impact — Platforms lose flexibility to restrict research through vague secrecy claims or cost barriers.89
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Meeting with Katarina Barley (Member of the European Parliament)

25 Nov 2024 · Verbraucherschutzpolitik

Consumer group vzbv urges stricter independence for AI experts

15 Nov 2024
Topic — The Commission is establishing a scientific panel to advise on AI Act enforcement.
Message — The group demands that experts with conflicts of interest be deemed ineligible for the panel. They want independence requirements extended to private deployers and institutions receiving corporate tech funding.123
Why — Ensuring panel independence prevents corporate bias from undermining consumer protections during AI enforcement.45
Impact — Large technology firms would lose their capacity to influence regulatory oversight through funded institutions.6
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Meeting with Matthias Ecke (Member of the European Parliament)

16 Oct 2024 · Verbrauchschutz / Telekommunikation

Meeting with Andreas Schwab (Member of the European Parliament) and Forbrugerrådet Tænk (the Danish Consumer Council) and

2 Oct 2024 · Priorities for the consumers agenda

Meeting with Alexandra Geese (Member of the European Parliament) and Defend Democracy and Stiftung Mercator

1 Oct 2024 · Discussions on the side of the Tech and Society Summit

Meeting with Tiemo Wölken (Member of the European Parliament) and Bureau Européen des Unions de Consommateurs

26 Sept 2024 · Consumer Policy Issues in the first part of the New Mandate

Meeting with Christine Singer (Member of the European Parliament)

12 Sept 2024 · Austausch neue Legislaturperiode

Meeting with Birgit Sippel (Member of the European Parliament)

10 Sept 2024 · Priorties in the area of digital fundamental rights

Meeting with Andrea Wechsler (Member of the European Parliament)

2 Sept 2024 · EU consumer policy

German consumer group urges EU to prioritize users in telecom

28 Jun 2024
Topic — A consultation on future scenarios for Europe's digital infrastructure and connectivity networks.
Message — The organization demands consumer interests stay central and rejects broadening policy objectives. They oppose network fees and advocate for keeping flexible national consumer protection rules. Universal internet access must be easier for citizens struggling with poor connections.1234
Why — Maintaining flexible rules allows them to keep higher levels of consumer protection in Germany.56
Impact — Large internet providers would lose the chance to impose new fees on content services.78
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Response to Update of related legislation as a consequence of the new regulation on recycled plastic Food Contact Materials

15 Apr 2024

Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren, bitte finden Sie anbei die Stellungnahme. Vielen Dank und mit freundlichen Grüßen
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German consumer group urges tougher EV energy efficiency labels

12 Apr 2024
Topic — The evaluation examines if EU car fuel and CO2 labelling remains fit for purpose.
Message — The group calls for efficiency classes for electric vehicles to penalize heavy, energy-intensive models. They want labels extended to used cars and supplemented with realistic consumption and lifecycle data. A digital product pass should cover reparability and disposal.123
Why — Consumers would find it easier to identify truly efficient vehicles and save energy costs.45
Impact — Manufacturers of heavy electric SUVs would see their models receive lower efficiency ratings.6
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Meeting with René Repasi (Member of the European Parliament)

19 Mar 2024 · Allgemeiner Austausch Verbraucherpolitik

German consumer group demands mandatory insolvency protection for air passengers

14 Mar 2024
Topic — The EU is reviewing rules to strengthen passenger rights during travel disruptions.
Message — The organization demands mandatory insolvency insurance for airlines and a ban on full upfront payments. They urge the Commission to withdraw outdated proposals that would lower compensation for delayed flights. Additionally, they call for proactive explanations for denied claims and uniform rules for luggage.12345
Why — Consumers would gain significantly better financial protection and transparent ticket pricing across the industry.6
Impact — Airlines would lose significant liquidity as they could no longer use passenger prepayments as interest-free loans.7
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German consumer group vzbv demands stronger multimodal passenger rights

4 Mar 2024
Topic — European Commission proposal to improve rights for passengers using multiple modes of transport.
Message — The group demands removing liability exemptions for companies selling combined multimodal tickets. Travelers should receive assistance and alternative transport regardless of their ticket type. Compensation for delays must follow rules for the primary transport mode.123
Why — Closing legal gaps would ensure consumers are fully protected throughout their entire journey.45
Impact — Transport providers would no longer be able to use fine print to avoid liability.67
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Meeting with Jan-Christoph Oetjen (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur) and Airlines for Europe and

22 Feb 2024 · Stakeholder Meetings on Passenger Mobility Package

Response to Advanced alternative dispute resolution for consumers

3 Jan 2024

vzbv is disappointed that the Commission has not shown the necessary will in this proposal to really effectively promote ADR as a solution to consumer disputes. The proposal misses the opportunity to create a basis for fundamental change and falls short of the needs of consumers. The Commission's proposal does not address the fundamental problems and challenges in the field of ADR: Firstly, it does not offer a solution to the lack of consumer awareness of the possibility of ADR. Secondly, it does not effectively address the unwillingness of traders to participate. It is particularly disappointing that the proposal does not contain any clear provisions on mandatory participation in ADR. Overall, the proposal can be seen as a drop in the ocean. In vzbv's opinion, access to an ADR entity must mean access to an ADR procedure. Consumers who submit a dispute resolution request to a body in order to assert their claim must be able to rely on the procedure being carried out. Across Europe, however, the willingness of traders to participate is the exception and this problem is no secret: the Commission itself called the willingness to participate "obviously insufficient". In Germany, it is most likely to work in sector-specific ADR entities, especially where there is a threat of official ADR if companies do not join a private ADR entity. In the view of the vzbv, there must be mandatory participation of companies in arbitration proceedings at least before an ADR entity and at least in the sectors with the highest consumer complaints, such as telecommunications, energy, finance, mobility and travel. A conciliation proposal has to bring about an effect for consumers: In the event that a consumer accepts a proposal, but the trder does not respond by the end of a reasonable period of time, the conciliation proposal must be deemed to have been accepted. The directive should safeguard the position of consumers and stipulate the following: Member States shall provide for rules to ensure that consumers do not have to enforce their claim in court after the conclusion of the procedure. This also applies to the situation where a consumer and a trader accept a conciliation proposal, but the trader does not fulfil the obligation arising from the -then binding- agreement. It should not be worthwhile for the trader to sit out the procedure. At the very least, the importance of ADR must be taken into account by requiring traders that systematically refuse to participate in ADR procedures to justify their refusal, which can be reviewed by the relevant authority in the Member State. vzbv points out the following: Art. 5(8) of the proposal mentions participation in "the" proposed procedure and seems to presuppose for applicability that consumers are already aware of the ADR option and have contacted an ADR entity. In contrast to the current provisions on information obligations in Art. 13(3), the regulation therefore postpones the need to deal with the issue of ADR and shifts the responsibility for obtaining information to the consumers. In this respect, it can in no way serve as a substitute for the information obligations, which already apply when the need for dispute resolution becomes relevant. Consumers need explicit information on the possibility of dispute resolution when a dispute arises. Therefore Art. 13(3) must not be abolished, but must be retained at all cost. The information obligations offer in particular the sector-specific ADR entites a good opportunity for sensitising consumers to ADR. The positive fact that traders are willing to participate in the procedure with these ADR entities would be less utilised if Art. 13(3) was repealed. The scope of activity of the ADR contact points should be clearly and conclusively defined. Art. 14 para. 3 should read: "The ADR contact points do not advise the parties, but facilitate communication between them and the competent ADR entity. They shall fulfil the following tasks: (...)"
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Meeting with Anna Deparnay-Grunenberg (Member of the European Parliament) and Deutscher Gewerkschaftsbund and

15 Dec 2023 · Sozial-ökologische Transformation

Meeting with Alexandra Geese (Member of the European Parliament) and Deutscher Gewerkschaftsbund and

15 Dec 2023 · Sozial-ökologische Transformation

Meeting with Martin Häusling (Member of the European Parliament) and Deutscher Gewerkschaftsbund and

15 Dec 2023 · Verbändetreffen sozial-ökologische Transformation

Meeting with Thomas Rudner (Member of the European Parliament)

28 Nov 2023 · Fluggastrechte

Meeting with Magda Kopczynska (Director-General Mobility and Transport)

9 Nov 2023 · 1) In-vehicle data 2) MDMS 3) Upcoming COM proposals

Meeting with Jens Geier (Member of the European Parliament, Rapporteur)

8 Nov 2023 · Exchange on the gas market directive and EMD

Meeting with Jens Geier (Member of the European Parliament, Rapporteur) and European Network of Transmission System Operators for Gas

31 Oct 2023 · Exchange on the gas market directive

Meeting with Maria Grapini (Member of the European Parliament, Rapporteur for opinion)

31 Oct 2023 · Gas and Hydrogen Markets

Meeting with Christophe Clergeau (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur) and Greenpeace European Unit and

26 Oct 2023 · Table ronde avec les représentants de la société civile sur la proposition de règlement sur les nouveaux OGM

Meeting with Henrike Hahn (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur)

26 Oct 2023 · Digital euro

Meeting with Rasmus Andresen (Member of the European Parliament)

25 Oct 2023 · consumer protection

Meeting with Katarína Roth Neveďalová (Member of the European Parliament)

24 Oct 2023 · New Genomic Techniques

Meeting with Ralf Seekatz (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur) and BlackRock and Deutsche Börse AG

24 Oct 2023 · Kleinanlegerstrategie

vzbv Urges Mandatory Labeling for All New Genomic Techniques

20 Oct 2023
Topic — EU legislation proposing a legal framework for plants produced by new genomic techniques.
Message — vzbv calls for the continued use of labelling and comprehensive risk assessments. They demand transparent seed traceability and consistent application of the polluter pays principle.123
Why — These measures would ensure consumer safety and protect the freedom of choice.4
Impact — The biotech industry would lose proposed financial incentives and relaxed approval procedures.5
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Meeting with Marion Walsmann (Member of the European Parliament, Rapporteur) and Bureau Européen des Unions de Consommateurs

5 Oct 2023 · Toy Safety Regulation

German consumer group vzbv demands total ban on sales commissions

28 Aug 2023
Topic — A legislative proposal to strengthen protection and confidence for retail investors.
Message — The vzbv calls for a comprehensive ban on sales commissions for financial products. They demand that independent advice must exclude commissions and that insurance rules be unified.12
Why — This would protect consumers from biased advice and high-cost financial products.34
Impact — Banks and insurance companies lose lucrative profits from high-commission product sales.56
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German consumer group vzbv demands stricter rules against greenwashing

13 Jul 2023
Topic — The European Commission is consulting on a directive to regulate environmental advertising claims.
Message — vzbv demands that the Green Claims Directive applies to all sectors and company sizes to protect consumers. They specifically call for a ban on advertising with climate neutrality based on carbon offsetting and future environmental performance.123
Why — Stricter regulations and broader scope would make it easier for vzbv to hold companies accountable.45
Impact — Financial firms and microenterprises would face higher compliance costs and stricter advertising limits.67
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Response to Revision of the specifications for EU-wide Multimodal Travel Information Services (Delegated Regulation 2017/1926)

28 Jun 2023

Der Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband (vzbv) begrüßt die Initiative der Kommission zur Aktualisierung der Delegierten Verordnung (EU) 2017/1926. Dieser Schritt ist notwendig, damit Verbraucher:innen vor und während ihrer Reise bessere Information erhalten. Dies ist essentiell um sowohl die bestmögliche Reiseoption finden und wählen zu können als auch während der Reise stets über aktuelle Entwicklungen und Alternativen informiert zu werden. Es hat sich jedoch gezeigt, dass es den technischen delegierten Verordnungen an den dringend benötigten Durchsetzungsmechanismen mangelt, damit ihre Grundsätze in der Praxis funktionieren. Daher muss diese durch strenge Bestimmungen in einer dezidierten Verordnung ergänzt werden, die darauf abzielt, Multimodalität für Verbraucher:innen zu fördern: die geplante Initiative für multimodale digitale Mobilitätsdienste (MDMS). Der vorliegende Entwurf der delegierten Verordnung weitet zu Recht den Umfang der Daten aus, die von den Verkehrsunternehmen und Plattformen gemeinsam genutzt werden können. Diese Ergänzungen sind dringend erforderlich, da der Mangel an exakten dynamischen Daten ein Haupthindernis für die Entwicklung neuer Dienste darstellt, die es den Verbrauchern ermöglichen, Verkehrsoptionen zu vergleichen und zu kombinieren. Gleiches gilt für fehlende Datensätze, die für eine korrekte Verbraucherinformation wichtig sind. Bei der Neuaufnahme der Datentypen Historische Reise- und Verkehrsdaten (historic travel and traffic data) und Beobachtete Daten (observed data) gilt es jedoch klar zu unterschieden wird, welche davon als statische und welche als dynamische Daten angesehen werden sollten. Insbesondere die Beobachteten Daten erfüllen zu einem gewissen Umfang Eigenschaften von dynamischen Daten, sind gemäß Anhang der delegierten Verordnung diesen aber nicht zugeordnet. Eine in sich schlüssige Systematik, die klare Anforderungen an die Datenersteller vorgibt und keine Fehlinterpretationen zulässt, ist notwendig. Artikel 8 des Verordnungsentwurfs eröffnet den Verkehrsunternehmen die Möglichkeit, über Lizenzvereinbarungen Beschränkungen der Datenweiterverwendung festzulegen. Dabei ist zwar vorgesehen, dass die Lizenzvereinbarungen nicht unnötig restriktiv und der finanzielle Ausgleich angemessen und verhältnismäßig sein sollen. Jedoch sind diese Vorgaben schwammig und öffnen Tür und Tor für prohibitive Maßnahmen. Deshalb ist dies keine geeignete politische Option. FRAND-Bedingungen (FRAND = Fair, Reasonable and Non Discriminatory terms) für Lizenzvereinbarungen und Bedingungen für die Weiterverwendung von Daten sollten im Rahmen der MDMS-Initiative gesetzlich festgelegt werden. Individuelle Gestaltungsmöglichkeiten seitens der Verkehrsunternehmen, die beschränkend wirken können können, weil eine delegierte Verordnung sie dazu ermächtigt, sind der falsche Weg. Daher sollte die MDMS-Verordnung beiden Seiten (Betreibern und Dienstleistern) strenge Haftungsmechanismen auferlegen und so sicherstellen, dass Informationen zuverlässig und vollständig sind. Es ist essentiell, dass das Teilen von Daten nur dann Sinn macht, wenn eine tiefe Integration dieser Daten möglich ist und neben dem reinen Abrufen von Information auch das Buchen nicht nur über die Plattformen der Verkehrsunternehmen, sondern auch über unabhängige Plattformen vorgenommen werden kann. Über die im Vorschlag zur delegierten Verordnung vorgesehenen Kooperationsvorgaben und Einhaltungsprüfungen hinaus ist ein Rahmen erforderlich, der Durchsetzungsmechanismen umfasst, damit der Datenaustausch wirklich funktioniert. Bezogen auf den Schienenverkehr ist die Durchsetzung der bestehenden delegierten Verordnung ungenügend. Artikel 9 des Verordnungsvorschlags sieht lediglich weiche Maßnahmen für den Fall vor, dass die zu übermittelnden Daten Lücken aufweisen oder aus irgendeinem Grund nicht in digitalem Format vorliegen. Dies zeigt einmal mehr, dass die MDMS-Verordnung zügig vorgelegt und verabschiedet werden muss.
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Response to Revision of EU marketing standards for agricultural products

16 Jun 2023

Please refer to the attached document with feedback from the Federation of German Consumer Organisations (Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband e.V. - vzbv.
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German consumer group calls for practical researcher data access

26 May 2023
Topic — EU regulation on researcher access to data from very large online platforms.
Message — The organization requests practical data access arrangements that prevent platforms from blocking or delaying access through business secrecy claims or impractical accreditation procedures. They emphasize researchers need to know what data platforms hold, access to older data for retrospective analysis, and generous rate limits for data retrieval interfaces.123
Why — This would enable research into platform risks affecting consumers and inform future consumer-friendly regulations.45
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Response to Promoting sustainability in consumer after-sales

24 May 2023

The Federation of German Consumer Organisations (vzbv) welcomes the European Commission's goal to improve the reparability of defective products in order to enable consumers to use their products for longer. However, the proposed measures are not sufficient to provide consumers with uncomplicated, fast and, above all, economic access to repair. In particular, the draft law fails to effectively address the problem of too high repair costs. In addition, an amendment to the Sales of Goods Directive is planned, which will in future significantly restrict the consumer's right of choice with regard to subsequent fulfilment (within the scope of the legal guarantee). The vzbv expressly rejects this limited right of choice. This is because it restricts an important consumer right that has been practised for many years. This restriction is also unlikely to lead to the production of more durable goods. Instead, changes should be made to the legal guarantee for a longer product lifespan, for example by extending the legal guarantee period. Further explanations of the vzbv's positioning can be found in the attached statement.
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Meeting with Sabine Verheyen (Member of the European Parliament)

23 May 2023 · Digital Network Fees

Meeting with Didier Reynders (Commissioner)

23 May 2023 · Meeting with Ramona Pop, Executive Director of VZBV, to discuss ongoing consumer policy files (Right to repair, Empowering consumers for the green transition, DMFS, initiative on cookies).

Response to Revised marketing standards for fresh fruit and vegetables, bananas, nuts, dried fruit and pulses

17 May 2023

FRESH FRUIT AND VEGETABLES, BANANAS, NUTS AND DRIED FRUIT REVIEW OF MARKETING STANDARDS Feedback to the European Commission on the Draft of the Commission Delegated Regulation supplementing Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards marketing standards for the fruit and vegetables sector, certain processed fruit and vegetable products and the bananas sector, and repealing Commission Regulation (EC) No 1666/1999 and Commission Implementing Regulations (EU) No 543/2011 and (EU) No 1333/2011. The Federation of German Consumer Organisations (Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband e.V.; vzbv) is a non-governmental organisation acting as an umbrella for 45 German consumer associations. We represent the interests of consumers in public and vis-à-vis legislators, the private sector and in public. vzbv welcomes the opportunity to provide feedback to the European Commission on the Draft Delegated Regulation regarding fresh fruit and vegetables, bananas, nuts and dried fruit review of marketing standards. Fruits and vegetables which are free of defects in terms of taste and health but which are visually imperfect, smaller, more crooked or for other reasons do not conform to Class II should be allowed to be marketed. These products should be available to consumers not only through direct sales from the producer, but also throughout the food retail trade, as consumers purchase by far the greater proportion of their foodstuffs in supermarkets and grocery stores. The distribution channel directly from the producer to the consumer plays a rather minor role. The intention to reduce food losses and food waste (recitals 10 and 11) by a modification of the marketing standards for fruit and vegetables can only be achieved if these exemptions apply in the foreseeable future also in the whole food retail such as supermarkets and grocery stores. The exemptions in direct sales from the producer to the consumer can be a start in this respect. However, due to the low market significance of direct sales from producer to consumer, it cannot be assumed that this change alone will significantly reduce food waste overall. Supermarkets and grocery stores in particular focus strongly on the size, shape and appearance of fruit and vegetables, leading them to reject even marginally imperfect-looking food. A market examination conducted by the German consumer associations in 2022 confirms that fruits and vegetables in food retailing are often marketed in accordance with specific specifications. For example, Class II products were found in only a few supermarkets, as were vegetables without foliage (see attached document). The quality demands of the food retailers sometimes exceed the legal requirements, which makes it difficult to market fruit and vegetables that do not conform to standards. Fruits and vegetables should increasingly be able to be sold as they grow in nature. The supply of Class II fruit and vegetables should also be increased in quantity and become the normal standard in supermarkets. This would give consumers the opportunity to buy more sustainably and in line with their needs.
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Meeting with Norbert Lins (Member of the European Parliament, Committee chair)

8 May 2023 · "Green Claims" (umweltbezogene Werbeaussagen)

Meeting with Jens Geier (Member of the European Parliament)

27 Apr 2023 · Exchange on the electricity market directive

Response to Virtual worlds, such as metaverse

26 Apr 2023

The Federation of German Consumer Organisations welcomes the fact that the EU Commission is dealing with the development of virtual worlds, their opportunities and risks at an early stage and thanks it for the opportunity to contribute suggestions and expectations from the perspective of consumers at this early stage. See the attached position paper for detailled feeback.
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Meeting with René Repasi (Member of the European Parliament)

26 Apr 2023 · Exchange of Views on the Cyber Resilience Act/ Gesetz über Cyberresilienz (CRA) - Staff Level

vzbv urges EU to strengthen consumer rights in electricity market

18 Apr 2023
Topic — The EU is reforming the electricity market to protect consumers from volatile prices.
Message — The organization requests a ban on winter electricity disconnections for vulnerable consumers using electric heating. They advocate for mandatory access to fixed-price contracts and per-capita refunds from state energy revenues.123
Why — Consumers obtain better financial predictability and protection from health-threatening winter power shutoffs.45
Impact — Large industrial energy users lose out as refunds would no longer favor high consumption.67
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German consumer group vzbv demands stronger GDPR enforcement rules

23 Mar 2023
Topic — This initiative streamlines cooperation between national authorities when enforcing the GDPR in cross-border cases.
Message — The group proposes mutual recognition for consumer representatives and complaint admissibility. They demand that complainants gain the right to be heard and access investigation files. Finally, they advocate for mandatory deadlines to prevent excessively long enforcement procedures.123
Why — Stronger enforcement rules would empower consumer groups to protect data rights across borders effectively.4
Impact — Companies seeking to exploit legal loopholes or slow procedures would face more consistent enforcement.5
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Meeting with René Repasi (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur)

22 Mar 2023 · Austausch zur Produkthaftungsrichtlinie und zum Recht auf Reparatur/Exchange on the Product Liability Directive (PLD) and the Right to Repair (R2R)

Meeting with Tiemo Wölken (Member of the European Parliament)

8 Feb 2023 · Austausch zur Ökodesign-Verordnung

Meeting with Manuela Ripa (Member of the European Parliament)

2 Feb 2023 · NutriScore-Label, GMOs

Meeting with Norbert Lins (Member of the European Parliament, Committee chair)

2 Feb 2023 · Neue Gentechnik

vzbv Demands Stricter Cybersecurity Rules For All Connected Consumer Products

20 Dec 2022
Topic — The consultation establishes mandatory cybersecurity requirements for manufacturers and vendors of digital products.
Message — The regulation should apply to all products including cloud services to avoid loopholes. Manufacturers must provide security updates for the entire expected lifetime of their products. Producers must notify consumers of security incidents within twenty-four hours.123
Why — This would reduce identity theft risks and financial harm for European consumers.4
Impact — Manufacturers would bear higher maintenance expenses and face steeper penalties for non-compliance.5
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German consumer group urges fundamental reform of EU liability rules

9 Dec 2022
Topic — This consultation updates EU liability rules for digital products and circular economy models.
Message — The organization requests shifting the burden of proof to manufacturers for claims. They argue online marketplaces must be liable when other actors are unreachable. Additionally, claim deadlines should be extended to match the actual lifespan of products.123
Why — This would shift the financial risk of technical failures from individuals to corporations.45
Impact — Manufacturers and online platforms would face significantly higher costs and broader legal exposure.67
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German consumer group vzbv demands strict AI liability rules

28 Nov 2022
Topic — The EU is consulting on new liability rules for damage caused by AI.
Message — The vzbv calls for the introduction of strict liability for AI systems to ensure consumers can realistically obtain compensation. They also advocate for mandatory insurance and the preservation of collective legal actions.123
Why — Consumers would find it much easier and cheaper to successfully sue for AI-related damages.4
Impact — AI developers and manufacturers would face higher insurance costs and significantly increased liability risks.56
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Meeting with Andreas Glück (Member of the European Parliament)

16 Nov 2022 · Ecodesign

Meeting with Jens Geier (Member of the European Parliament)

15 Jun 2022 · Fit For 55 - EPBD

German consumer group urges tougher EU digital fairness rules

14 Jun 2022
Topic — Evaluating if current EU laws adequately protect consumers in digital markets.
Message — The organization calls for closing legal loopholes and suggests reversing the burden of proof in return disputes. They also request mandatory notifications before user accounts are closed or blocked.123
Why — Clearer regulations would make it easier for them to pursue collective legal action against companies.4
Impact — Dishonest online shops and platforms would lose their ability to exploit technical loopholes.56
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Meeting with Didier Reynders (Commissioner)

17 May 2022 · Empowering consumers ; Sustainable Corporate due diligence

German consumer federation calls for clearer data protection rules

13 May 2022
Topic — A legislative proposal aimed at facilitating fair access to data within the EU.
Message — The group demands that data protection laws always take precedence over the proposal. They request clearer definitions and a ban on commercializing personal data by third parties.12
Why — Consumers would gain more control and technical protection over their generated data.3
Impact — Car manufacturers lose their exclusive power to dictate access terms for mobility data.4
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Response to Revision of EU rules on Gas

4 Apr 2022

Der vzbv bedankt sich für die Möglichkeit, zu den Vorschlägen der Europäischen Kommission zur Neufassung der Verordnung über die Binnenmärkte für erneuerbare Gase und Erdgas sowie für Wasserstoff (COM(2021) 804 final) und zur Richtlinie über gemeinsame Vorschriften für die Binnenmärkte für erneuerbare Gase und Erdgas sowie Wasserstoff (COM(2021) 803 final) Stellung nehmen zu können. Im Anhang finden Sie unsere Stellungnahme. Herzliche Grüße Florian Munder
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Response to Revision of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive 2010/31/EU

31 Mar 2022

Vielen Dank für die Möglichkeit, zu dem Vorschlag der Europäischen Kommission Stellung zu nehmen. Finden sie anbei die Stellungnahme des Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverbands (vzbv) zur Richtlinie über die Gesamtenergieeffizienz von Gebäuden (EPBD, KOM(2021) 802 final).
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Response to Application of EU health and environmental standards to imported agricultural and agri-food products

16 Mar 2022

Verbraucher:innen wollen nachhaltig konsumieren, das gilt auch und vor allem für Agrar- und Lebensmittelerzeugnisse. Auch die Europäische Kommission hat sich in ihrer Farm-to-Fork-Strategie zur mehr Nachhaltigkeit in der Landwirtschaft und Lebensmittelproduktion bekannt. Damit ist die Farm-to-Fork-Strategie wichtiges Element des European Green Deals. Doch während die EU mit der Farm-to-Fork Strategie ambitionierte Schritte unternehmen will, um die Produktion und den Konsum von Agrar- und Lebensmittelerzeugnissen innerhalb der EU nachhaltiger zu gestalten, werden weiterhin im großen Umfang Produkte aus Drittstaaten importiert, die nicht denselben Produktions- und Prozessstandards unterliegen müssen, die die EU sich aktuell schon gibt und künftig geben will. Im Jahr 2020 importierte die EU Agrar- und Lebensmittelerzeugnisse im Wert von 105,3 Milliarden Euro und war damit der drittgrößte Importeur von Agrar- und Lebensmittelerzeugnissen weltweit hinter den USA und China. Dabei machen unverarbeitete oder nur wenig verarbeitete Agrarerzeugnisse und Futtermittel 75 Prozent der Importe aus. 41 Prozent der importierten Agrar- und Lebensmittelerzeugnisse (Waren im Wert von 50,3 Milliarden Euro) stammen aus Staaten, mit denen die EU Freihandelsabkommen hat. Diese Zahlen zeigen deutlich, dass es sich bei der Frage nach der Einhaltung von Nachhaltigkeitsstandards bei importierten Agrar- und Lebensmittelerzeugnissen um Waren in einem relevanten Größenumfang handelt. Das Fehlen von „Mirror Measures“ steht dem globalen Ziel des Klimaschutzes entgegen, schafft Wettbewerbsnachteile für europäische Erzeuger:innen und ist nicht im Sinne der europäischen Verbraucher:innen, die mit großer Mehrheit hohe Ansprüche an Umwelt- und Tierschutzstandards haben. In ihrer Kommunikation zur Trade Policy Review 2021 hat die Europäische Kommission festgehalten, dass importierte Güter den europäischen Regelungen und Produktvorschriften entsprechen müssen. Darüber hinaus sei es unter bestimmten Umständen angemessen, auch europäische Anforderungen an die Produktion und Herstellung (Prozessqualitäten) an diese Importe zu stellen. Dabei werden der weltweite Umweltschutz und ethische Anliegen explizit als solche Umstände erwähnt. Das ist aus Sicht des Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverbands (vzbv) sinnvoll, da es sich insbesondere beim Klima- und Umweltschutz aber auch dem Schutz der Biodiversität und Tierschutz um globale Güter handelt. Denn für das Klima ist es letztendlich unerheblich, ob Treibhausgase in der EU oder anderen Teilen der Welt ausgestoßen werden. Ähnlich verhält es sich mit ethischen Fragen des Tierschutzes. Für das Leid der Tiere macht es keinen Unterschied, ob es den Tieren in der EU oder in einem Drittstaat zugefügt wird. Der vzbv unterstützt daher grundsätzlich politische Maßnahmen, die dafür sorgen, dass die Bemühungen für eine nachhaltige Landwirtschaft nicht an den europäischen Grenzen enden und dadurch gegebenenfalls konterkariert werden. Das entspricht auch den Wünschen der Verbraucher:innen, die hohe Erwartungen an die Umwelt- und Tierschutzbedingungen haben, unter denen ihre Lebensmittel erzeugt werden. Solche Maßnahmen sind demnach im Sinne des Verbraucherschutzes, des weltweiten Klima- und Tierschutz und nicht zuletzt auch im Sinne des fairen Wettbewerbs.
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Meeting with Alexandra Geese (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur) and Bureau Européen des Unions de Consommateurs and

10 Mar 2022 · Digital Services Act

Meeting with René Repasi (Member of the European Parliament)

3 Mar 2022 · Verbraucherschutz

Response to Measures to reduce microplastic pollution

28 Dec 2021

Der vzbv begrüßt den Vorstoß der EU Kommission den Eintrag von Mikroplastik in die Umwelt zu regulieren. Berichte über Mikroplastikfunde beispielsweise in Lebensmitteln führen zu verunsicherten Verbraucher:innen. Eine vom World Wildlife Fund beauftragte Studie kommt zu dem Ergebnis, dass Menschen allein über Nahrungsmittel und Getränke bis zu 5 g Mikroplastik pro Woche aufnehmen. Die Menge entspricht einer Kreditkarte. Die Aufnahme von Mikroplastik über Wasser, Außen- und Innenraumluft und Lebensmittel lässt sich für Verbraucher:innen nicht vermeiden. Auch auf dessen Freisetzungen haben sie nur begrenzt Einfluss. Auch wenn zu den gesundheitlichen Auswirkungen von Mikroplastik-Fasern und -Partikeln noch erheblicher Forschungsbedarf besteht, müssen Maßnahmen eines vorsorgenden Gesundheitsschutzes die Anteile von Mikroplastik in Trinkwasser, Lebensmitteln und in der Luft deutlich reduzieren. Die Festlegung auf eine Zielmarge ist notwendig, um Maßnahmen auf ihre Wirkung hin evaluieren zu können. Fraunhofer UMSICHT nennt in seiner Studie von 2018 eine Zielmarge für Kunststoffemissionen in Deutschland von 200 Gramm pro Person und Jahr bei derzeitigen 5400 Gramm. Bei den größten Emissionen Reifenabrieb, Kunststoffgranulat und synthetischen Textilien anzufangen, ist daher richtig. 1) Um gesundheitliche Gefahren für Verbraucher abzuwenden muss der Fokus der Verordnung erweitert werden. Es gibt eindeutige Hinweise, dass ein erheblicher Anteil an Mikroplastik nicht nur über Lebensmittel und Trinkwasser vom Menschen aufgenommen wird, sondern auch aus dem Hausstaub und der Innenraumluft stammt. Auch im Hausstaub sind Mikroplastikfasern nachweisbar. Es wurde geschätzt, dass von durchschnittlich 20 Kilogramm Haushaltsstaub, die im Durchschnitt jährlich produziert werden, etwa sechs Kilogramm Mikroplastik sind. Mittlerweise ist Mikroplastik in menschlichen Geweben wie Organen oder der Plazenta nachweisbar. Ebenso häufen sich Studien, die darauf hinweisen, dass Mikroplastik beim Menschen schädigend wirken kann, indem es beispielsweise Entzündungsprozesse auslösen kann. Das heißt, um potenzielle Gesundheitsrisiken beim Menschen zu reduzieren, müssen alle synthetischen Textilien, die Innenraumluft belasten, wie Bekleidung, Haushaltstextilien, Schuhe, Möbel, Teppichböden und Auslegware - aus oder mit Kunststoff - in den Fokus notwendiger Regulierung genommen werden. Notwendig ist eine erweiterte Herstellerverantwortung für Produkte, die auch die Mikroplastikfreisetzung während der Nutzungsphase einschließt. Ziel muss es seine, diese soweit wie möglich zu reduzieren. Nur wenn Mikroplastikabrieb trotzdem unvermeidbar ist, sollten Rückhaltetechnologien wie Filter dafür sorgen, dass Mensch und Umwelt möglichst wenig belastet werden. Um Risiken für Mensch und Umwelt zu reduzieren, müssen Kunststoffe außerdem frei von zugesetzten Schadstoffen sein. 2) Weniger Abrieb verbessert die Haltbarkeit von Produkten und spart CO2. Gerade bei den synthetischen Textilien sind die Synergien mit den EU-Strategien für eine nachhaltige Gestaltung und Herstellung von Textilien sowie der Entwicklung der Initiative für nachhaltige Produkte besonders deutlich. Die für Verbraucher wichtige Haltbarkeit von Produkten - insbesondere auch bei Textilien und Schuhen - kann durch Standards für den Abrieb von Stoffen und Fasern gewährleistet werden. Dabei ist der Anteil von Schuhen nicht zu unterschätzen. Bereits die Studie von Fraunhofer UMSICHT nennt den Abrieb bei Schuhen unter den TOP 10 der für Mikroplastik verantwortlichen Quellen. Verbraucher, Umwelt und Klima profitieren von weniger Abrieb durch längere Nutzung der Produkte. Verlängerung der aktiven Lebensdauer von nur 50% der Kleidung um 9 Monate würde Einsparungen von 8% CO2 10% Wasser 4% Abfall pro Tonne Bekleidung bringen hat das Abfall- und Ressourcenaktionsprogramm (WRAP) für Großbritannien berechnet.
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Response to Revision of the provision of air services

6 Dec 2021

The aim of this evaluation must be to strengthen consumer protection - not to reduce it. Consumers need special protection, especially in times of crisis. In any case, the consultation should ask whether new regulations should also be added that are essential in terms of ensuring comprehensive consumer protection. The following is a list of aspects and documents/studies that we believe are particularly urgent for evaluation and improvement: Link to a very relevant document (Policy Brief ‘Future Policy Options for the Review of the EU Air Services Regulation’): https://cadmus.eui.eu/bitstream/handle/1814/67495/PB_2020_25_FSR.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y 1. Price transparency: There have been many judgements on this subject in Germany in recent years. Why actually? Travel platforms in particular cause problems. They are in fierce competition with the direct sales of the airlines. The result is a hard price war. In a market that is already highly competitive. The competitors are therefore fighting to be listed as high up as possible in the comparison platforms sorted by price. The temptation to manipulate the starting price and to exploit any legal flexibility in the presentation of prices is therefore obvious. On the other hand: The potential earnings for travel platforms in pure flight brokerage are not exactly generous due to the competition from direct sales. Travel platforms have to compensate for this by selling additional services and pushing them onto the market. The customer, who has already decided on a certain flight, has to scroll through offers of additional services page by page until he finally arrives at a binding booking. There is a temptation to get the customer to order additional services using instruments that are within the legal grey area. In the ebookers ruling (ruling of 19-07-2012, C-112/11), the ECJ decided that even a travel platform acting as an intermediary must comply with the requirements of Article 23. And in the Air Berlin case, the ECJ clarified that the final price must appear at the start of the booking process, so when a price is quoted for the first time (judgment of 15-01-2015, C-573/13). This judgment should be reflected in the text of the regulation. Also criteria are urgent what a flight ticket must cover at least: e.g. one piece of hand luggage of certain size, one seat etc (minimum criteria). 2. Uniform rules for insolvency protection vzbv highly recommends to have uniform EU rules for insolvency protection in place that also cover vouchers. The EU legislator should establish minimum criteria for national protection schemes. For this purpose, the European commission should gather experiences and successful models from the Member States. For instance, there are recent experiences from Germany. There, the government replaced the insurance model by a guarantee fund model (triggered by the insolvency of Thomas Cook and the resulting state liability of Germany). A long evaluation and consultation process preceded this modification. 3. Regulation of the scope of advance payments In order to better insure companies against the risk of insolvency, the practice of demanding advance payments must be regulated in the regulation. The reason for this is that all airlines demand 100 percent advance payment at the time of booking (in Germany, it’s legal: judgement of Bundesgerichtshof, 25.7.2017, X ZR 71/16). This prepayment practice is highly unfair, however, because it unilaterally places the insolvency risk on consumers. For the airlines, a switch to payment models at the time of flight departure would be economically viable. Prices for consumers would increase only extremely slightly in the year of the changeover. We are attaching an economic report on this subject.
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Response to Review of Directive 2012/27/EU on energy efficiency

20 Oct 2021

Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren, anbei senden wir Ihnen unsere Stellungnahme zur REDIII und bedanken uns für die Möglichkeit der Teilnahme. Mit freundlichen Grüßen i.A. Yvonne Mannal vzbv e.V.
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Response to Review of the general product safety directive

4 Oct 2021

vzbv strongly supports the draft for a General Product Safety Regulation. We agree on the objectives and welcome: • The underlined value of the safety net function and precautionary principle • Coherent market surveillance rules between harmonised and non-harmonised products as well as the new tools given to Member States • Stronger traceability in the supply chain and a greater responsibility for safety of online marketplaces • New provisions on connected products • Clear rules on product recalls • Risk assessment to also cover the needs of vulnerable consumers, environmental considerations and the safety of child appealing products • Detailed criteria for penalties, thereby making enforcement more consistent • Commission’s new powers to adopt implementing measures and set up specific traceability requirements • Enforcement work of the Consumer Safety Network to be closely coordinated with the enforcement network for harmonised products • Benefits of cooperation with consumer groups for enforcement We urge co-legislators to address the following concerns: • Loopholes regarding online marketplaces must be closed. Their obligations must be further clarified and strengthened so all enforcement actions could be addressed to them in case no other actor intervenes. The general safety requirement should include online marketplaces and they should be defined as importers. • An obligation for mandatory collection of accident and injury data in a pan-European database should be added. • Recall notices should always be published. Where traders can contact consumers directly through contact data previously obtained, the recall notices should nonetheless be published as consumers may have purchased products as gifts or have sold them on second-hand marketplaces which means the information might not reach all relevant owners. • The provisions on remedies for consumers in case of recalls stipulate that economic operators could instead of repairing or replacing the recalled product also opt for refunding the (remaining?) value. It is not the traders but consumers who should have the choice for the type of remedy. For old products, the actual value could be low, and consumers could possibly decide to keep a product even though it is dangerous. To allow consumers an informed choice, information must be given about the different options, the dangers, and their consequences. • Beside risk-based market surveillance, it will be important that authorities perform random checks so dangerous products that were not on the radar can also be detected. Higher conformity assessment procedures should be applied in relation with the level of risk. • The definition of a safe product does not contain anymore the points to be considered for such definition. These are now under article 7. However, we see a need to explicitly link those criteria of article 7 to article 6 to ensure the criteria need to be considered by European Standardisation Organisations. Further, we suggest deleting the first half sentence of article 7 ‘Where the presumption on safety in article 5 does not apply’. This deletion clarifies that the criteria of article 7 apply to all relevant actors at any moment, legislators, economic operators, standards makers and enforcement authorities. • Implementing acts with specific safety requirements should be legally-binding and be detailed enough to be enforced directly. A hazard-based approach should be followed during the development of safety requirements and the drafting of standards. The safety levels set out in the requirements should be relevant to the significance of the hazards and risks and be defined by the policy-makers, not the European Standardisation Organisations (ESOs). As the ESOs do not have to accept the Standardization Request related to the Commission Decision, no legal certainty exists for economic operators and market surveillance authorities in the absence of standards.
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Response to Revision of the CO2 emission standards for cars and vans

28 Sept 2021

Please find attached the positions and feedback of the Federation of German Consumer Organisations (Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband – vzbv). vzbv is the umbrella organisation for more than 40 consumer organisations throughout Germany and represents the interests of German consumers vis-à-vis policymakers, the private sector and in public. vzbv is also a founding member of BEUC, the European Consumer Organisation.
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Response to Revision of Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Directive

28 Sept 2021

Please find attached the feedback of the Federation of German Consumer Organisations (Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband e.V. – vzbv). vzbv is the umbrella organisation for more than 40 consumer organisations throughout Germany and represents the interests of German consumers vis-à-vis policymakers, the private sector and in public. vzbv is also a founding member of BEUC, the European Consumer Organisation.
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Response to Package travel – review of EU rules

16 Sept 2021

vzbv welcomes the Commission's approach that the aim must be to strengthen consumer protection - not to reduce it. Consumers need special protection, especially in times of crisis. The following is a list of aspects that we believe are particularly urgent for evaluation and improvement (selection): 1. Uniform rules for insolvency protection vzbv highly recommends to have uniform EU rules for insolvency protection in place that also cover vouchers. The EU legislator should establish minimum criteria for national protection schemes. For this purpose, the EC should gather experiences and successful models from the Member States. For instance, there are recent experiences from Germany. There, the government is replacing the insurance model by a guarantee fund model (triggered by the insolvency of Thomas Cook and the resulting state liability of Germany). A long evaluation and consultation process preceded this modification. 2. Regulation of the scope of advance payments In order to better insure companies against the risk of insolvency, the practice of demanding advance payments must be regulated in the PTD. In Germany, pre-payments are limited to 20% down payment at the time of booking, while the rest is due not more than 30 days before the beginning of the trip (judgement of Germany’s highest civil court Bundesgerichtshof, 9.12.2014, X ZR 13/14). The second relevant ruling even considers 40% prepayment to be appropriate. The key factor is therefore how much the travel organiser himself has to pay in advance (Bundesgerichtshof, 25.7.2017, X ZR 71/16). Obviously, the travel organisers have to advance more for air travel or cruises than for other trips. The reason for this is that all airlines demand 100 percent advance payment at the time of booking. 3. Special situations: Vouchers The reimbursement within 14 days in the event of cancellation by the travel organiser is a principle of the directive that must not be weakened. For exceptional cases - such as a worldwide pandemic - special rules could be established. This serves both: the companies and the consumers (some of whom are still waiting for refunds from 2020!). However, from a consumer perspective, this can only be supported if it is ensured that vouchers must only be accepted voluntarily, that the value of the vouchers is secured against insolvency, and vouchers are paid out if they have not been used after a certain period of time (e.g. 12 months). 4. Online platforms: Especially in the case of flight-only bookings, but also in the case of package travel or accommodation booked via intermediary platforms, consumers report many and major problems with reimbursement (of ticket costs after flight cancellation in accordance with Air Passenger Rights Regulation 261/2004, but also of payments made in accordance with Art 12 of the PR Directive). Here, it should be clarified that the money must be refunded to customers (in time!) by the company which has received the payment initially from the customer - regardless of where the money actually is. 5. Improving the enforcement/ADR schemes The PTD provides for a wide range of rights for consumers. In daily practice, however, there is a lack of enforcement. Enforcement must therefore be strengthened. At the same time, participation in ADR schemes must become mandatory for companies. In this context, arbitration (especially in the area of passenger transport by air) is a success story in Germany. Most of the major airlines have voluntarily joined the German arbitration body „söp“ (“Schlichtungsstelle Öffentlicher Personenverkehr“). For all other airlines, there is a "fall-back" arbitration body as there is an obligation to try alternative dispute resolution. The conciliation rate is between 80 and 90 percent. The airlines were very much against arbitration before the mandatory arbitration was introduced in 2013. Now, airlines see it the other way around: as an economic benefit. This development must also be triggered in PTD area.
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Response to Consumer Credit Agreement – review of EU rules

1 Sept 2021

The Federation of German Consumer Organisations (vzbv) supports the European Commission’s aim to achieve significant improvements in consumer protection in the European consumer credit market. However, vzbv sees a need for additions and corrections in some of the proposed rules: WIDER VIEW OF CREDIT PRODUCTS AND CREDIT SERVICES The proposed extension of the scope is likely to significantly improve consumer protection in the consumer credit market (Article 2). This is urgently needed and is therefore supported by vzbv. In addition, however, the European Commission must ensure that new digital credit services or credit products do not lead to regulatory loopholes to the detriment of consumers. CONSUMERS NEED CREDIT THAT IS SUITABLE TO THEIR NEEDS AND THEIR FINANCIAL SITUATION The European Commission recognises the problem that consumers may not be able to assess whether the loans and ancillary services offered are suitable for them due to insufficient information and explanations. Therefore, creditors and credit intermediaries must explain the credits and ancillary services offered in such a way as to enable consumers to assess whether they are suitable for them and must obtain the relevant information from consumers (Articles 12 and 16). The proposal goes in the right direction, but it does not go far enough. vzbv demands a mandatory suitability test for offered credit agreements or crowdfunding credit services. RESPONSIBLE AND CONSUMER-CENTRIC LENDING The proposed Directive also provides for a consumer-centric design of creditworthiness assessment and stricter requirements regarding the scope and outcome of the assessment (Article 18). This is to be welcomed in principle. However, the requirement of a sufficient level of financial standing should not be limited solely to the viability of debt service. The impact on consumers’ budgets must also be taken into account. For this reason, vzbv calls for a comprehensive budget analysis, on the basis of which consumers can make an informed credit decision. vzbv supports the European Commission’s demand that consumers should have the right to human intervention, explanation of the process and contest the result of automatic creditworthiness assessment procedures. However, vzbv points out that the proposed rules must also apply to semi-automatic processes. In addition, explanations of the procedure and the data used must always relate to the individual case and must not remain abstract. It is also worth highlighting that, in exceptional cases, consumers may be granted credit even if the creditworthiness test outcomes are negative. This is supported by vzbv because the creditworthiness assessment models are not perfect and special life situations may cause these models to fail. In addition, such loans should be included in the list of exemptions, which have a similar effect to an investment for consumers. NEGOTIATED SOLUTIONS BENEFIT CONSUMERS WITH FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES AS WELL AS CREDITORS Consumer credit default is often caused by personal crisis events in the lives of consumers, such as unemployment or illness. However, credit default can be prevented if credit grantors give consumers time and thus the opportunity to solve their financial problem. Therefore, the European Commission proposes that creditors should exercise forbearance in such cases and find a negotiated solution before initiating enforcement proceedings for late payment (Article 35). This proposal is explicitly supported by vzbv. The approach is, in principle, appropriate to prevent consumer over-indebtedness and defaulted loans on creditors' balance sheets. In order for the approach of this proposal to be effective, creditors must be obliged to offer a modification of the existing terms and conditions of a credit agreement before enforcement proceedings are initiated if the solvency of the consumer deteriorates due to a personal crisis event. For further details, please find attached vzbv's full position paper.
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Response to Animal welfare labelling for food

24 Aug 2021

vzbv welcomes the initiative taken by the European Commission to improve animal welfare legislation.Consumers are very concerned about animal health and welfare. A Eurobarometer survey showed in May 2021 that 82 percent of respondents be-lieved that the welfare of farm animals should be better protected than is currently the case. However, currently, consumers are often not able to identify high animal welfare standards due to the lack of a single, recognisable, reliable and trustworthy label. Media reports on animal welfare conditions on many farms and in slaughterhouses make it all too clear to many consumers that legal animal welfare standards and their enforcement are not sufficient in many cases. Improving animal welfare stand-ards is a top food and farm policy priority to many consumers. Ambitious policies and sufficient enforcement are therefore long overdue. Please see attached document for vzbv’s detailed views on selected individual chapters of the Inception Impact Assessment.
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German consumer group vzbv urges more consumer-centric AI Act

5 Aug 2021
Topic — An EU consultation on establishing a legal framework for trustworthy artificial intelligence.
Message — The organization requests that the AI Act includes economic harms as high-risk and mandates individual explanations for consumers. They also advocate for banning dark patterns and emotion recognition by private companies.12
Why — This would empower consumer groups to proactively prevent harm and challenge discriminatory AI.3
Impact — Companies using manipulative marketing or opaque insurance pricing would face significant regulatory restrictions.4
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Response to Revision of Food Information to Consumers for what concerns labelling rules on alcoholic beverages

22 Jul 2021

The Federation of German Consumer Organisations (Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband e.V.; vzbv) is a non-governmental organisation acting as an umbrella for 44 German consumer associations. We represent the interests of consumers in public and vis-à-vis legislators, the private sector and in public. vzbv welcomes the opportunity to provide feedback to the European Commission on the inception impact assessment regarding the initiative “Proposal for a revision of Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 on the provision of food information to consumers, for what concerns labelling rules on alcoholic beverages”. vzbv welcomes the EU-Commission’s March Report 2017 which found that there were no objective grounds that would justify the absence of information on ingredients and nutrition on alcoholic beverages. vzbv is in favour of and supports Option 2 in the Inception Impact Assessment: “Revise the rules for all alcoholic beverages: revoke the exemption and require all indications on-label”. Consumers have the right to know what they are drinking. It is crucial that nutritional information and ingredients listings are provided for the consumer in full and on the label of alcoholic products and in accordance with the Food Information to Consumers Regulation (1169/201), as is already the case for all other food and drink products. Also important is the requirement to provide nutritional information on a per 100 ml basis as a minimum and a full nutritional declaration (and not just calories/energy). From a consumer perspective, ‘100ml’ is an essential and objective reference point to allow straightforward comparison between products. Providing the full nutritional declaration and not just the energy value of an alcoholic product gives consumers a more complete picture of its nutritional profile. It is not sufficient and unacceptable from a consumer’s perspective to provide nutritional and ingredients information only online via QR codes, web links or bar codes. On-label information allows consumers to easily compare alcoholic beverages and their ingredients and nutrient content in the supermarket.
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Response to Distance Marketing of Consumer Financial Services - Review of EU rules

25 Jun 2021

The Federation of German Consumer Associations (Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband – vzbv) welcomes the opportunity to provide feedback to the European Commission’s roadmap on the Distance Marketing of Financial Services Directive (DMFSD). The comprehensive evaluation illustrates both the continuous relevance of the DMFSD and the significant need for modernization. While many norms have become obsolete, as horizontal and specific legislations have taken their place, the DMFSD still ensures the right of withdrawal and precontractual information for several financial services, like insurance and payment accounts as well as for new services. Looking ahead, the revision of the DMFSD creates the opportunity to update consumer protection in the provision of financial services along three dimensions: 1) Modernise existing norms to make them fit for the digital age 2) Introduce new norms to protect consumers in the new reality of digital marketing of financial services 3) Expand the scope of the DMFSD from the mere closing of a contract to the relationship during the contract duration between consumer and financial service provider
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Meeting with Iwona Piorko (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager), Werner Stengg (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager) and Amsterdam: AI Technology for People

7 Jun 2021 · Intersection between AI Regulation and trade commitments

German Consumer Advocates Demand Stricter Rules for Online Gatekeepers

5 May 2021
Topic — New European regulations aimed at ensuring fair competition within digital platform markets.
Message — The group demands a ban on manipulative dark patterns and a fairness-by-design duty. They advocate for consumer representation in proceedings and shorter deadlines for intervention.12
Why — Consumers would regain autonomy and decision-making power through transparent and balanced digital interfaces.3
Impact — Gatekeepers lose the ability to exploit user biases and circumvent regulations through deceptive interface designs.4
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German Consumer Group Urges Strong Accountability for Online Platforms

26 Mar 2021
Topic — Regulation on digital services, platform responsibilities, and user rights protection online.
Message — The organization calls for stronger liability rules for online marketplaces when they fail duty-of-care obligations, particularly regarding consumer protection. They demand mandatory identity verification for merchants, transparent ranking parameters, and effective enforcement mechanisms through designated Digital Services Coordinators.1234
Why — This would give consumers stronger protections when shopping on marketplaces and clearer recourse options.567
Impact — Online marketplaces lose their broad liability exemptions and face increased compliance costs.89
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Response to Revision of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive 2010/31/EU

22 Mar 2021

A large share of the german population supports the rapid implementation of the energy transition. The associated costs must be shared fairly among all actors in order to ensure wide acceptance. Together with the participation of all citizens, it forms the basis for the success of this elementary transformation process. Legislation at the European level should focus primarily on these objectives. The Federation of German Consumer Organisations (vzbv) participates in this important revision process, in order to support the development of a fair and effective legislation. vzbv welcomes and supports the ambitious climate policy at the European level and the objectives of the European Green Deal. The building sector plays an important role on the road towards climate neutrality in 2050. Efforts to date are not yet sufficient and the pressure to act is growing, which is why ambitious solutions must be quickly worked out. On the one hand, the reduction of the energy demand requires target-compliant efficiency standards for new construction and a sharp increase in high-quality, deep energy renovations of the building stock. The implementation of these ambitious efficiency standards must be financially viable for all consumers. Therefore, more funding must be made available in accordance with the principle of 'promoting and demanding'. On the other hand, the heat supply must be decarbonised by making renewable energies even more available in the building sector while phasing out fossil fuels. To do so, various measures and instruments must work together. Binding European and national targets are needed for the reduction of GHG emissions and the increase of renewable energies and energy efficiency. During the specific development of the framework, common ground is needed, in order to be successful: Ensuring affordability for private households and avoiding problems of social cohesion. MEPS - vzbv stands for greater energy efficiency and better standards, while calling for more financial support and the implementation of consumer-oriented measures. Residents of the worst-performing buildings suffer from the highest energy bills. This is where to start first, with higher energy standards and sufficient financial support. Similarly, the focus on the introduction of MEPS could be extended to public buildings, as it can lead to scaling effects that make technologies more affordable for all consumers. EPC – EPC´s will play an increasingly important role. Therefore, the revision of the EPBD must include proposals for improving, unifying and rolling out EPC´s. High-quality, comprehensive and comprehensible consumption-based certificates offer essential added value for homeowners and potential buyers. At the same time, they form the basis for the overall planning of renovation activities and the corresponding monitoring of the progress. The implementation of those EPC´s in European and national databases will be part of the required digitalization of the building stock. Building Renovation Passport – All individual renovation measures must be planned professionally and adapted to the needs and obligations of the owners and the tenants. The widespread use of Building Renovation Passports is an important tool for which a uniform basis must be created within the framework of the revision in order to ensure the best possible quality and conformity of the measures. Deep Renovation Standard – It is vital, that the European Commission develops a comprehensive standard for deep renovations, which is compliant with the objectives and valid in all member states, yet adjustable to specific local conditions. Circularity – Life cycle approaches need to be considered more broadly in the future. At the same time there should be no competition with other objectives, such as energy efficiency or renewable energy targets. Future regulations increasing the price of building materials must be flanked by appropriate funding for these carbon-neutral solutions.
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Response to Modernising the EU’s batteries legislation

1 Mar 2021

Please find attached the positions and feedback of the Federation of German Consumer Organisations (Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband – vzbv).
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Response to Setting of nutrient profiles

3 Feb 2021

The Federation of German Consumer Organisations (Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband e.V.; vzbv) is a non-governmental organisation acting as an umbrella for 43 German consumer associations. We represent the interests of consumers in public and vis-à-vis legislators, the private sector and in public. vzbv welcomes the opportunity to provide feedback to the European Commission on the inception impact assessment regarding the initiative „Proposal for a revision of Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 on the provision of food information to consumers“. Please find our detailed comments attached.
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Response to Revision of EU rules on food contact materials

28 Jan 2021

The Federation of German Consumer Organisations (Verbraucherbraucherzentrale Bundesverband; vzbv) welcomes the opportunity to provide feedback on the revision of EU rules on Food Contact Materials (FCMs). vzbv endorses the initiative taken by the European Commission and its aim to shift the focus onto the final product. vzbv would like to highlight the following points: • The revision of the legal framework for FCMs is overdue and must be carried out swiftly. The European Commission needs to follow a precautionary approach, establish a reformed risk and hazard assessment and management system for all FCMs. • The European legislator must adopt a generic ban on the most harmful sub-stances for entire substance groups regardless of their level of migration into food. Grouping of substances will prevent substitutions with similar and equally harmful substances. • vzbv proposes a harmonised approval and control scheme for FCMs based on two complementary principles: 1) binding rules on substances that might or not be used in FCMs and 2) mandatory and improved safety documentation for all FCMs provided by the manufacturers. • The European legislator must develop a standardised and comprehensive communication and labelling scheme for FCMs. This consideration is still missing in the Inception Impact Assessment. • Official controls to protect consumers’ health must be performed by authorities, as a principle, and must remain the prerogative of the state. Please find our contribution in the attached document.
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Response to Legislative framework for the governance of common European data spaces

27 Jan 2021

With the Data Governance Act, the EU Commission aims to facilitate the processing of data in compliance with fundamental European values. In principle, the Federation of German Consumer Organisations (Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband e.V. (vzbv) welcomes that more (non-personal) data is to be made available, also from a competition perspective. It is particularly positive that the EU Commission wants to create a regulatory framework for providers of data sharing services - although vzbv believes that further measures are needed to safeguard consumer rights. vzbv also believes that adjustments are needed on other points. For example, it is problematic that in some cases the proposal does not distinguish clearly enough between personal and non-personal data. Under no circumstances should the protection of personal data be undermined by the Data Governance Act. Furthermore, it must be examined for each proposed regulation how the interaction with the General Data Protection Regulation can be ensured and what added value the regulations offer for consumers and the industry. If this added value is not apparent, the regulations should be avoided in order to prevent a further increase in complexity. These and other aspects can be found in more detail in our attached position paper (in German). ---- Mit dem Data Governance Act möchte die EU-Kommission die Verarbeitung von Daten unter Beachtung der europäischen Grundwerte erleichtern. Grundsätzlich begrüßt es der Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband e.V. (vzbv), dass (nicht-personenbezogene) Daten besser verfügbar gemacht werden sollen. Auch aus wettbewerblichen Aspekten ist dies wünschenswert. Positiv hervorzuheben ist insbesondere, dass die EU-Kommission einen Regelungsrahmen für Datenintermediäre schaffen möchte – obgleich nach Ansicht des vzbv weitere Maßnahmen erforderlich sind, um die Rechte der Verbraucher zu wahren. Auch an anderen Punkten bedarf es aus Sicht des vzbv Anpassungen. Problematisch ist beispielsweise, dass der Vorschlag zum Teil nicht deutlich genug zwischen personenbezogenen und nicht-personenbezogenen Daten unterscheidet. In keinem Fall darf der Schutz personenbezogener Daten durch den Data Governance Act unterminiert werden. Ferner muss bei jedem Regelungsvorschlag geprüft werden, wie das Zusammenspiel beziehungsweise die Abgrenzung zur Datenschutz-Grundverordnung sichergestellt werden kann und welchen Mehrwert die Regelungen für Verbraucher und Wirtschaft bieten. Sollte dieser Mehrwert nicht ersichtlich sein, sollte auf die Regelungen verzichtet werden, um eine weitere Komplexitätssteigerung zu verhindern. Diese und weitere Aspekte finden Sie detaillierter ausgeführt in unserer beigefügten Stellungnahme.
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Meeting with Thierry Breton (Commissioner) and

9 Dec 2020 · Roundtable with NGOs on DSA and DMA

Response to Sustainable corporate governance

8 Oct 2020

Please find the Feedback from the Federation of German Consumer Organisations (Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband e.V.) attached.
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vzbv Demands Mandatory EU Rules to Rebuild Consumer Trust in AI

8 Sept 2020
Topic — The EU is developing a legal framework to ensure artificial intelligence is safe and trustworthy.
Message — vzbv advocates for horizontal legislation covering all AI applications with mandatory transparency rules. They propose a gradual risk-based approach where risky systems are independently audited before market deployment. Consumers must receive clear explanations for specific automated decisions that affect their lives.123
Why — Stricter legal standards would increase public confidence and encourage widespread adoption of AI technologies.45
Impact — AI developers would face higher costs due to mandatory testing and transparency requirements for all applications.67
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Response to Hygiene rules on allergens, food redistribution and food safety culture

5 Aug 2020

Der Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband begrüßt das Ziel, das mit dieser Verordnung erreicht werden soll. Erst eine ausreichende Rechtssicherheit führt dazu, dass genießbare Lebensmittel weiter angeboten oder weitergegeben werden, statt sie zu entsorgen. Ein Ansatz zur Verringerung von Lebensmittelverlusten ist die Weitergabe an karitative Organisationen. Um erneute Rechtsunsicherheit zu vermeiden, sollte jedoch insbesondere in Anhang 2, Kapitel VIa, Satz 2 klargestellt werden, ob die dort aufgezählten Forderungen eine "und"-Aufzählung darstellen oder eine "oder"-Bedingung sind, also ob die Bedingungen alle erfüllt sein müssen oder nur einzelne. Daneben sollte klargestellt werden, unter welchen Umständen die Bedingungen erfüllt sein müssen. Grundsätzlich ist es aus Sicht des vzbv wichtig, dass eine nationale Regelung, die sich in der Praxis bewährt hat, beibehalten werden kann. Dies betrifft insbesondere das Verfahren des vereinfachten Lieferscheins. Aus Sicht des vzbv sollte er für die Gewährleistung der Rückverfolgbarkeit ausreichen, da er Bezug nimmt auf den Lieferschein des Handels. Vgl. auch: https://www.bmel.de/SharedDocs/Downloads/DE/Broschueren/LeifadenWeitergabeLebensmittelSozEinr.pdf?__blob=publicationFile&v=3 Damit Prüfungen, auch sensorischer Art, im Sinne des europäischen Lebensmittelhygienerechts überhaupt erfolgen können, braucht es verantwortliches und geschultes Fachpersonal, das entscheidet, was als ein sicheres Lebensmittel gelten kann. In einer überarbeiteten Version des vorliegenden Verordnungsentwurfes sollte daher der Punkt "Food Safety Culture" mit dem Ziel der Vermeidung von Lebensmittelverlusten verbunden werden und damit Verantwortlichkeiten innerhalb der Unternehmen klar benennen. Auch der Hinweis auf eine Regelung der Codex Alimentarius Kommission vom Oktober 2020 zeigt, dass der Ausgang einer in der Zukunft liegenden Codex-Verhandlung noch ungewiss ist. Folglich ist die Begründung, bei der auf einen internationalen Codex-Standard Bezug genommen wird und der nicht unterschritten werden soll, aber möglicherweise gar nicht verabschiedet wird, nicht nachvollziehbar.
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Response to Action Plan on the Capital Markets Union

4 Aug 2020

The Federation of German Consumer Organisations - vzbv - is a non-governmental organisation acting as an umbrella for 42 German consumer associations. vzbv represents the interests of consumers in public and vis-à-vis legislators, the private sector and civil society. As a consumer organisation, vzbv appreciates the opportunity to give feedback on the Roadmap of the European Commission for the upcoming Capital Markets Union (CMU) Action Plan. According to current and past Consumer Markets Scoreboards, as well as vzbv’s own experience, the quality of retail financial markets is disappointing. Therefore, the stated goal of improving consumers’ access to simple, transparent and inexpensive financial products is necessary to improve both the objective function of retail financial markets in the EU as well as consumer trust in those markets. One of the most counterproductive aspects to these goals is the continued inducement based sale of financial products. This practice has led to numerous mis-selling scandals as well as a constant stream of poor quality products being sold to retail investors. vzbv’s European level umbrella has launched a campaign on the “Price of Bad Advice”, which highlights the inadequacy of the current state of financial advice for European consumers. The continued experience of being sold inadequate products and repeated scandals, continue to undermine trust in retail financial markets. If this is to be remedied, financial advisors must be exclusively beholden to consumer interest. Such a change would not only improve consumers access to retail investment products that suit their risk and investment profile but also - critically – improve the overall quality of these Products. Therefore, the European Commission should investigate the role of inducements on the quality of financial advice and sales processes. Such a study should closely examine the impact of inducement bans already implemented in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, where official reports state a marked improvement in product quality and consumer trust. Such changes are foundational for increased investment activity, cross boarder integration of markets and stability of the same. The current approach in the rest of the EU, of informing consumers of conflicts of interest, hoping they may protect themselves, is fundamentally inferior to eliminating these conflicts of interest. In closing, vzbv would like to refer the European Commission to our MiFID II position paper, which is attached to this response, for a more detailed take and policy recommendations regarding the current state of retail financial markets in the EU.
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Response to Legislative framework for the governance of common European data spaces

29 Jul 2020

In its European data strategy as well as in the corresponding roadmap for a legislative framework for the governance of common European data spaces, the European Commission proposes the creation of several European data spaces in certain sectors. vzbv welcomes the opportunity to provide feedback on this topic in addition to its response to the consultation on the European data strategy in May 2020. vzbv welcomes that the EU Commission is committing itself to the fundamental values of the European Union and the GDPR as integral part of the strategy and this initiative. Nevertheless, increased use and exchange of data will always lead to increased risks for consumers. vzbv therefore emphasises that the principles and requirements of the GDPR also fully apply to any processing of personal data in the context of European data spaces. This is particularly true with regard to vague concepts such as "data altruism", which must not lead to a weakening of consumers' rights and freedoms. It is essential that the European legislator adopts additional legal safeguards for situations where the data strategy would lead to increased availability and re-use of personal data, in particular with regard to new data intermediaries (such as „personal information management system“s (PIMS) or „data trusts“) if these are directed at consumers or process personal data. Although such data intermediaries are primarily intended to benefit consumers, they can also entail significant risks. Therefore, a legal framework is required to ensure that such data intermediaries act independently, without bias and with no economic interest of their own when processing the data they manage on behalf of consumers, so that conflicts of interest can be precluded. This framework must comprise a concise definition of the fiduciary duties of such data intermediaries towards their users. Provisions should be set out concerning the lawfulness and limitations of contractual mandates and strict requirements regarding the transparency and appropriateness of terms and conditions should be adopted. A potential formation of monopolies must be prevented and tie-in structures prohibited. In addition, rules should be put in place to govern insolvencies and dissolutions of such data intermediaries. Quality requirements should be stipulated by law. Strict data security requirements are needed, especially regarding the quality of the encryption of data and their transmission, but also regarding appropriate anonymisation methods. Data intermediaries should be obliged to conduct a data protection impact assessment and consult the competent data protection authorities before they take up operation. A certification combined with appropriate monitoring should be compulsory. The question of whether, and to what extent, data intermediaries should vet data users and ensure their reliability has to be addressed. And it would also be important to clarify questions of liability. In addition, a dialogue about interoperability and portability standards and open interfaces, as well as their development, should be promoted.
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Response to Modernising the EU’s batteries legislation

7 Jul 2020

Bitte finden Sie anbei das Positionspapier des Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverbands (vzbv) hinsichtlich des Inception Impact Assessment bezüglich der Initiative „Modernising the EU´s batteries legislation“ der EU-Kommission.
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Response to New competition tool

30 Jun 2020

Please find the feedback of the Federation of German Consumer Organisations to the public consultation in the attached document.
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German Consumer Group Demands Strict Rules for Gatekeeper Platforms

29 Jun 2020
Topic — EU consultation on new rules to ensure fair and contestable digital markets.
Message — Vzbv recommends combining a blacklist of banned practices with specific remedies for individual large platforms. They want a broad set of rules enforced by a central European regulatory body.12
Why — Stronger enforcement would protect consumer interests and promote innovation within the digital economy.34
Impact — Large online platforms would face restrictions on unfair trading practices and self-preferencing.56
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Response to Trade policy review, including WTO reform initiative

19 Jun 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed a number of weaknesses in the global trade architecture: States, including by EU Member States, have introduced export restrictions on personal protective equipment (PPE). At the same time, the weaknesses of “just in time”-production, inadequate stockpiling – including of medical devices and pharmaceuticals – and global e-commerce, for example through fraud or counterfeit products, became apparent. From the perspective of the Federation of German Consumer Organisations (Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband - vzbv), a diversification of supply chains and fair transnational competition instead of national or European production should be the answer to the COVID-19 pandemic. As what regards non-COVID19-related demands to a renewed EU Trade Strategy, the following issues are of relevance from the consumer perspective: - further strengthen consumer interests in EU trade policy - comprehensive, transparent and cooperative internal organisation of EU trade policy - strengthening the multilateral, rules-based trading system - implementing the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals through stronger enforcement of trade agreements Detailed information on the above mentioned points can be found in the attached position paper.
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Meeting with Didier Reynders (Commissioner)

11 Jun 2020 · The new consumer agenda and the impact of the Covid-19 crisis on consumers

Response to Revision of Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Directive

29 Apr 2020

Bitte finden Sie anbei die Stellungnahme des Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverbands (vzbv) zur Combined Evaluation Roadmap der EU-Kommission mit unseren Forderungen hinsichtlich der Revision der Richtlinie 2014/94/EU über den Aufbau der Infrastruktur für alternative Kraftstoffe (Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Directive (AFID).
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Response to Report on the application of the General Data Protection Regulation

28 Apr 2020

The Federation of German Consumer Associations (Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband e.V. - vzbv) considers the GDPR a success. It contains numerous innovations that strengthen the rights and freedoms of consumers and, at the same time, represent real added value for European companies, such as the introduction of the lex loci solutionis. Nevertheless, the regulation also contains weak and extremely vague provisions that do not meet the objective of the GDPR to ensure the right to protection of personal data. In vzbv’s view, however, the early date of the evaluation is unfortunate. On the one hand, the public discussion is mainly characterised by criticism and complaints about difficulties in applying the GDPR. Many of the complaints are justified, but others are not - in any case, it is inevitable that the practical implementation of such a comprehensive law will first and foremost be perceived as a burden. On the other hand, many positive effects of the GDPR for consumers and the market will only become apparent later. Data protection enforcement procedures, for example, often take several years. Therefore, the evaluation should be carried out with great sensitivity. Nevertheless, in order to contribute to the evaluation process, vzbv has commissioned an expert report to evaluate the GDPR from a consumer’s perspective. You will find English excerpts of the expert report in the appendix and the complete report (in German) at https://www.vzbv.de/dokument/luft-nach-oben-bei-der-datenschutz-grundverordnung
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Response to Action Plan on the Customs Union

14 Apr 2020

Als Dachverband der 16 Verbraucherzentralen der deutschen Länder und 26 weiterer verbraucherpolitischer Verbände in Deutschland bündelt der Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband e.V. (vzbv – www.vzbv.de) die Kräfte für einen starken Verbraucherschutz in Deutschland und in der Europäischen Union. Der Verband hat seinen Sitz in Berlin und ein Büro in Brüssel. Die Regeln des Europäischen Zollkodexes (UCC) sind im Hinblick auf den starken Anstieg des internationalen B2C-Onlinehandels ein wichtiger Baustein, um die Einfuhr unsicherer und nicht-konformer Produkte zu verhindern. Der vzbv begrüßt dementsprechend die Initiative für einen „Customs Union Action Plan“ und bedankt sich für die Möglichkeit einer ersten Kommentierung, die sich im beigefügten Dokument findet.
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Response to Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism

31 Mar 2020

Als Dachverband der 16 Verbraucherzentralen der deutschen Länder und 26 weite-rer verbraucherpolitischer Verbände in Deutschland bündelt der Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband e.V. (vzbv – www.vzbv.de) die Kräfte für einen starken Verbraucherschutz in Deutschland und in der Europäischen Union. Der vzbv hat seinen Sitz in Berlin und ein Büro in Brüssel. Der vzbv begrüßt die Diskussion über einen CO2-Grenzausgleichsmechanismus. Bei richtiger Ausgestaltung kann er ein effektives Instrument der Außenwirtschaftspolitik sein, um die klimapolitischen Ziele der Europäischen Union im Rahmen des European Green Deal zu erreichen und Verbrauchern einen nachhaltigen Konsum zu ermöglichen. Ein solcher Mechanismus muss eine klare Lenkungswirkung hin zu nachhaltigen, verbraucherfreundlichen Produktionsmethoden entfalten. Ein detailliertes Feedback entnehmen Sie bitte dem beigefügten Dokument.
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Meeting with Roberto Viola (Director-General Communications Networks, Content and Technology)

5 Feb 2020 · Exchange of views on the approach on AI and the work of the German Data Ethics Commission

Meeting with Werner Stengg (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager)

5 Feb 2020 · Data strategy, artificial intelligence, digital services act

Response to Contract summary template for electronic communications service providers

6 Sept 2019

Dear Sir or Madam, please find attached the comments by the Federation of German Consumer Organisations (Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband – (vzbv)) regarding the public consultation on the European Commission’s draft implementing Regulation establishing a template for the contract summary for electronic communications Services. Best, Susanne Blohm
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Response to Specifications for the provision of cooperative intelligent transport systems (C-ITS)

1 Feb 2019

Der vzbv begrüßt, dass die Kommission mit dem Entwurf für den delegierten Rechtsakt „C-ITS“ neben den technischen Standards auch Vorgaben für Cybersicherheit und Datenschutz macht. So sollen die C-ITS-Boxen zum Beispiel so zertifiziert werden, dass sie gegen Hacker-Angriffe geschützt sind. Ebenfalls zu begrüßen: Mit dem Rechtsakt stellt die Kommission beim Datenschutz sicher, dass die persönlichen Daten des Fahrers und Halters nicht missbraucht werden. Fahrer und Halter sollen sich darauf verlassen können, dass ihre anfallenden persönlichen Daten etwa zum geografischen Aufenthalt nur zur Erhöhung der Verkehrssicherheit dienen und nicht von Dritten missbraucht werden können. Positiv ist der Verweis darauf, dass die Datennutzung den strengen Beschränkungen der Datenschutzgrundverordnung unterliegt. Datenschutz und -sicherheit sowie der Nutzen für die Verbraucher/Anwender müssen im Vordergrund stehen. Datenschutz ist essentiell wichtig für die gesellschaftliche Akzeptanz solcher Systeme. Trotzdem gilt, dass die vernetzten Verkehrssysteme auf den freien und vollständigen Fluss der Daten angewiesen sind, um zuverlässig funktionieren zu können. Die Datenschutzgrundverordnung regelt aber nur den Umgang mit personenbezogenen Daten. Durch die massive, mit der Vernetzung und Automatisierung von Fahrzeugen verbundene Datenverarbeitung rückt auch die Frage nach dem Umgang mit nicht personenbezogenen Daten in den Vordergrund. Diesbezüglich macht der Entwurf des delegierten Rechtsakts keine Vorgaben, obwohl auch hier der Grundsatz der Datensparsamkeit durchaus aufgestellt werden müsste. Grundsätzlich muss der Nutzen für die Verbraucher/Anwender im Vordergrund stehen. Der Nutzen ist nur dann wirklich vorhanden, wenn die C-ITS-Abdeckung nicht nur sicher, sondern ebenfalls möglichst flächendeckend und nahtlos verfügbar ist. Die EU-Kommission muss eine verpflichtende Zugangsmöglichkeit zu Daten schaffen, damit das Entstehen von Informationsmonopolen weniger Unternehmen (Autohersteller, Versicherer etc.) verhindert und Wettbewerb erhalten wird. Nur so kann echte Wahlfreiheit für Verbraucher gewährleistet werden. Damit Verbraucher frei zwischen unterschiedlichen Anbietern wählen können, dürfen nicht (allein) die Hersteller der Systeme den ersten Zugriff auf Kfz-Daten haben.
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Meeting with Soren Schonberg (Cabinet of Commissioner Margrethe Vestager)

5 Dec 2018 · Competition Policy

Response to Evaluation of the Consumer Credit Directive

27 Jul 2018

Among the topics that should be taken into further consideration concerning the review of the Consumer Credit Directive (2008/48/EC) (CCD) vzbv would like to point to the following - at this early stage of the roadmap. - With creditworthiness assessment it will be important to relate more to those consumer protective implications already set by the Mortgage Credit Directive (CARRP). Up to now CCD consumer credit practices still focus predominantly on protecting lenders from a default and not likewise consumers. Proper assessment should check whether the actual product is suitable to meet the current and foreseeable needs and capabilities of a borrower. This may as well need adequate options to alter an existing contract if needed to ensure repayment. It is important with that to provide more proper options to check and truly comprehend the individual results of an assessment. Predatory lending practices need to become legally impossible. - Scope: Exemptions need to be avoided. Like zero-interest rate contracts. Even those contracts need proper protection like with cancellation rules. Furthermore credit costs of e.g. zero-rate offers are likely to be hidden within pricing of financed goods. Exemptions procure circumventions. - Supervision should be checked upon whether existing schemes with a lot of local authorities involved (in Germany: credit intermediaries, APR control) are really meeting all requirements. Regulators need specific qualification, unrestricted legal rights to inquire into all necessary banking business and with that fast working networks with all other EU-Regulators and - in case needed - the option to issue significantly high fines and sanctions to be effective to bigger or even multinational players. - Credit cost transparency is still a problem. APRs do not reflect the high costs of optional services. Like payment protection insurances (PPI). In a low-interest market these insurances are cross-sold at a large scale. Consumers are not even aware of the extreme extra expenditure PPIs inflict on them. Apart from further and as well IDD (2016/97/EU) - related issues on the quality of PPI, it is revealing that risk based interest rates usually not even lower with settling an insurance against default.
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Response to General Safety of Vehicles and Pedestrians

17 Jul 2018

Der Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband (vzbv) begrüßt das Ziel der EU-Kommission die Verkehrssicherheit besonders für Fußgänger und Radfahrer zu erhöhen und geeignete Potenziale der Automatisierung und Vernetzung im Verkehr grundsätzlich zu nutzen. Aus Verbrauchersicht sind die vorgeschlagenen Maßnahmen der General Safety Regulation (GDR) im Bereich des verpflichtenden Einbaus von digitalen Sicherheitsfunktionen jedoch zu weitgehend. Der vzbv sieht die Gefahr, dass durch die zu schnelle Einführung eines kompletten Satzes von Sicherheitsvorrichtungen ein Zwang zum automatisierten und vernetzen Fahren einher geht und das Grundrecht der informationellen Selbstbestimmung untergraben werden könnte. Deshalb sollten die Maßnahmen erst nach einer gründlichen Prüfung der Verfügbarkeit, Verhältnismäßigkeit, Sicherheitswirksamkeit und nach einer Datenschutzfolgenabschätzung Schritt für Schritt implementiert werden. Anmerkungen im Einzelnen: Artikel 6 schreibt eine Reihe von modernen Fahrzeug-Sicherheitsmerkmalen für alle Fahrzeuge zwingend vor (z. B. intelligenter Geschwindigkeitsassistent; Systeme zur Schläfrigkeits- und Aufmerksamkeitsüberwachung des Fahrers / zur Erkennung von Ablenkungen; Rückwärtsfahrt-Erkennung; Erleichterung des Einbaus von Sperren zur Verhinderung von Alkoholfahrten). Diese Systeme sind unstreitig sicherheitserhöhend, bergen aber die Gefahr, dass personenbezogene Daten mit erhoben werden. Gerade Systeme zur Aufmerksamkeitsüberwachung basieren auf hochsensiblen Insassendaten. Artikel 7 legt die besonderen Anforderungen an Personenkraftwagen und Lieferwagen fest und verlangt insbesondere, dass sie mit einer ereignisbezogenen (Unfall-)Datenerfassung ausgerüstet werden. Der vzbv lehnt den verpflichtenden Einbau von Unfalldatenschreiber als unverhältnismäßig ab. Dagegen ist ein Fahrmodusspeicher ab hoch automatisiertes Fahren aus Verbrauchersicht sinnvoll und notwendig. Davon abgesehen ist Art. 7 Ziff. 5 lit. a) zu unbestimmt: „Die Daten, die sie für die Zeit vor, während und nach einem Zusammenstoß aufzeichnen und speichern können, müssen mindestens Folgendes umfassen: Fahrzeuggeschwindigkeit, Zustand und Grad der Aktivierung der Sicherheitssysteme an Bord sowie sonstige relevante Eingabeparameter für die bordseitigen aktiven Sicherheits- und Unfallvermeidungssysteme.“ Die zu erhebenden Daten müssen genauer genannt werden und sollten auch auf zwingend notwendige Daten beschränkt werden. Der Kommission werden weitgehende Rechte eingeräumt, um delegierte Rechtsakte zu erlassen, insbesondere, wie Systeme zur Überwachung der Bereitschaft des Fahrers beschaffen sein müssen (s. oben zu Art. 6). Das ist zum einen sinnvoll, weil so schnell auf technischen Fortschritt reagiert werden kann. Andererseits dürfen dabei notwendige Prüfungen zum Beispiel, ob Verbraucherinteressen und Datenschutz beeinträchtigt werden, nicht zu kurz kommen. Grundsätzlich gilt, dass die Regeln der DSGVO zwingend eingehalten werden müssen (und nicht nur „sollten“, wie der Vorschlag in Erwägungsgrund 8 vorsieht) und dass die KOM auch bei Erlass delegierter Rechtsakte stets die Regeln der DSGVO einzuhalten hat. Der Datenschutzstandard darf nicht gesenkt werden.
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Response to Transparency and sustainability of the EU risk assessment model in the food chain

25 Jun 2018

Der vzbv begrüßt die Initiative der EU-Kommission zur Verbesserung der Transparenz der Risikobewertung der EFSA sowie zur Stärkung der Risikokommunikation als wichtigen Schritt zur Stärkung des Vertrauens der Verbraucher in den regulatorischen Rahmen der Lebensmittelproduktion. Jedoch ist der Verordnungsvorschlag stärker am Verbrauchinteresse auszurichten. Zudem vermisst der vzbv wesentliche Ergebnisse des dem Vorschlag zugrunde liegenden Berichts der EU-Kommission zur Evaluierung des Allgemeinen Lebensmittelrechts (REFIT-Bericht) im Verordnungsvorschlag. Der vzbv begrüßt, - Dass die öffentliche Debatte um die Risikobewertung von Stoffen und Produkten (zum Beispiel Glyphosat) von der EU-Kommission proaktiv aufgenommen wird, und Maßnahmen für mehr Transparenz und Nachvollziehbarkeit ergriffen werden; - Dass die Prozesse der wissenschaftlichen Bewertung durch die EFSA in Zukunft transparenter gestaltet und alle beteiligten Kreise einbezogen werden sollen; - Dass die EU-Kommission beabsichtigt, die Risikokommunikation effektiver zu gestaltet. Der vzbv fordert jedoch, - Dass bei der Beurteilung der Vertraulichkeit von Daten und Studien die öffentliche Gesundheit stets Vorrang vor kommerziellen Interessen von Unternehmen hat. Keinerlei sicherheitsrelevante Information darf der Öffentlichkeit vorenthalten werden. - Dass die Verordnung beträchtliche Strafen bei Nichteinhaltung der Notifizierungspflicht zur Erstellung des geplanten Unionsregisters festlegt. - Dass, falls eine „Allgemeine Beratung“ eingeführt wird, die damit betrauten EFSA-Mitarbeiter in keinerlei Tätigkeiten zur Erarbeitung der Stellungnahmen zu den Produkten der Unternehmen involviert sind; - Dass die geplanten organisatorischen Veränderungen der EFSA in keinem Fall die eindeutige Trennung von Risikobewertung und Risikomanagement gefährden darf; - Dass der geplante „Allgemeine Plan für Risikokommunikation“ die unterschiedlichen Ressourcen der am politischen Willensbildungsprozess beteiligten Gruppen berücksichtigt und diese auszugleichen versucht; - Dass der „Allgemeine Plan für Risikokommunikation“ auch für die Krisenkommunikation gilt, indem er klare Regeln zur Information der Öffentlichkeit durch die zu-ständigen Behörden im Falle einer Lebensmittel-(Betrugs- oder Sicherheits-)Krise festschreibt; - Dass der Allgemeine Plan für Risikokommunikation sicherstellt, dass Risikomanager ihre politischen Entscheidungen sowie die dahinterliegenden Abwägungen einschließlich eventueller Vor- und Nachteile gegenüber der Öffentlichkeit besser erklären. Zudem kritisiert der vzbv, dass zentrale Fragen der Lebensmittelkennzeichnung und Ernährungspolitik nicht aufgegriffen werden, obwohl in der REFIT-Evaluierung als Mangel bezeichnet. Hier gilt es, regulatorische Lücken zu schließen und die effektive und harmonisierte Umsetzung geltenden Rechts zu gewährleisten, um den Verbraucherschutz zu stärken und gesunde wie nachhaltige Entscheidungen zu erleichtern.
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Meeting with Věra Jourová (Commissioner) and

14 May 2018 · Consumer protection

Response to Improving the emissions legislation for Light Duty Vehicles

5 Apr 2018

Der Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband (vzbv) begrüßt diese von der Europäischen Kommssion durchgeführte Konsultation, um künftig verbesserte und verlässlichere Kfz-Emissionstest zu erreichen. Die ausführliche Stellungnahme des vzbv ist dem beigefügten pdf zu entnehmen.
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Response to Implementing act on a common methodology for alternative fuels unit price comparison

29 Mar 2018

Die Einführung einer Preisauszeichnung alternativer Kraftstoffe nach dem von der Europäischen Kommission vorgeschlagenen Verfahren wird als nicht sehr zielführend eingeschätzt. Die Methodologie an sich bietet, wenn überhaupt, nur einen geringen Mehrwert für Verbraucherinnen und Verbraucher, da mit Durchschnittspreisen- und Verbräuchen kalkuliert wird, die mit der individuellen Situation/Fahrzeugen nur bedingt vergleichbar sind. Zudem wird der Normverbrauch statt des Realverbrauchs herangezogen und spiegelt somit die tatsächlich entstehenden Kosten nur unzureichend wieder. Darüber hinaus gibt es praktisch keine Vorgaben für die Art und Weise, wie die Informationen vor Ort den Verbrauchern angeboten werden sollen. Somit besteht eine große Gefahr, dass dies gar nicht oder auf einem nicht verbraucherfreundlichen Weg geschieht. Aus Sicht des Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverbands ist es darüber hinaus schwer nachvollziehbar, dass die Europäische Kommission den Empfehlungen der Deutschen Energieagentur (dena) aus ihrer dem Vorschlag zugrundeliegenden Studie nicht folgt, sondern ein davon abweichendes System vorschlägt. Denn die dena favorisiert in ihrer Studie Preisangabenmodelle, die auch den Energiegehalt der Kraftstoffe be-rücksichtigen. In der Summe sieht der vzbv die große Gefahr, dass die grundsätzlich zu begrüßende Zielsetzung der Durchführungsverordnung ins Leere laufen wird.
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Response to Post 2020 light vehicle CO2 Regulation(s)

22 Mar 2018

Mobilität ist für eine moderne Gesellschaft von zentraler Bedeutung. So ist für Verbraucherinnen und Verbraucher1 eine nachhaltige und bezahlbare Mobilität die Grundlage für Wohlfahrt, Lebensqualität und gesellschaftliche Teilhabe. Die Senkung des CO2-Ausstoßes des Straßenverkehrs und dort insbesondere des Pkw-Verkehrs ist aus einer Reihe von verbraucher-, umwelt- und industriepolitischen Gründen zwingend notwendig, um nachhaltige, bezahlbare Mobilität zu gewährleisten. Zum einen ist der Verkehrsbereich einer der bedeutendsten Treibhausgasemittenten, mit steigendem Anteil. Innerhalb des Verkehrs ist der Straßenverkehr der größte Treiber. Um die klimapolitischen Ziele der Europäischen Union zu erfüllen, ist eine ehrgeizige Begrenzung des CO2-Ausstoßes im Kraftverkehr angezeigt. Bedingt durch den direkten Zusammenhang von Kraftstoffverbrauch und CO2-Ausstoß, können Verbraucher von ambitionierten CO2-Grenzwerten aber auch finanziell profitieren. Untersuchungen zeigen, dass die finanziellen Einsparungen durch reduzierten Kraftstoffverbrauch etwaige Mehrkosten bei der Fahrzeuganschaffung kompensieren werden. Auch ein Rückgang beim Fahrzeugabsatz ist, wie die vorangegangenen CO2-Grenzwertregelungen gezeigt haben, nicht zu erwarten. Vielmehr ist davon auszugehen, dass die Zusatzkosten für Spritspartechnologien die Fahrzeugpreise nicht so stark erhöhen, wie zum Beispiel von der Autoindustrie befürchtet3. Zum anderen bietet ein ambitionierter und langfristig ausgerichteter Grenzwert, der auch Zwischenschritte definiert, der Industrie die notwendige Planungssicherheit. Hinsichtlich der langen Entwicklungs- und Produktionszeiträume neuer Fahrzeugmodelle sind verlässliche Bedingungen für die Autohersteller von essentieller Bedeutung. Der am 8. November 2017 von der Europäischen Kommission vorgelegte Entwurf einer Verordnung für CO2-Grenzwerte für Personenkraftwagen und leichte Nutzfahrzeuge (KOM(2017) 676 final)4 ist aus den genannten Gesichtspunkten ein wichtiger Beitrag, den Treibhausgasausstoß des Verkehrssektors zu senken. Leider bleibt er hinter den Erwartungen des Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverbands (vzbv) zurück.
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Response to Recast of Regulation (EC) 1371/2007 on rail passengers' rights and obligations

22 Nov 2017

Wirksame und verbraucherfreundliche Fahrgastrechte im Eisenbahnverkehr sind wichtig, um diesen aus Kundensicht attraktiv zu machen. Dabei müssen sich die Kunden darauf verlassen können, EU-weit vergleichbare Rechte genießen zu können. Ein Flickenteppich aus uneinheitlichen Regeln und unterschiedlichen Verbraucherschutzstandards ist zu verhindern. Eine Neufassung der Bahngastrechteverordnung muss deshalb auf der existierenden aufbauen und zu einer weiteren Stärkung der Fahrgastrechte führen. Der am 27.09.2017 veröffentlichte Verordnungsvorschlag der Europäischen Kommission über die Rechte und Pflichten der Fahrgäste im Eisenbahnverkehr kann dies jedoch nur in Teilen erfüllen. Der vzbv begrüßt: - Die Verbesserung der Rechte von Personen mit Behinderungen und Personen mit eingeschränkter Mobilität. - Den Abbau eines europäischen Flickenteppichs. - Die bessere Berücksichtigung der Fahrgastrechte von Zeitkartenbesitzern. Um eine Absenkung des Verbraucherschutzniveaus zu verhindern, muss der Vorschlag aus Sicht des Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverbandes (vzbv) an verschiedenen Stellen nachgebessert werden. - Die Aufnahme von Ausnahmeregelungen für Fahrpreisentschädigungen in Folge schlechter Witterung und Naturkatastrophen schwächt den Fahrgastschutz und wird vom vzbv abgelehnt. - Durchgangsfahrkarten sollten kein freiwilliges Angebot der Unternehmen sein, sondern verpflichtend eingeführt werden. - Die Zuständigkeiten von nationalen Durchsetzungsstellen müssen eindeutig geregelt werden. - Proprietäre Informations- und Buchungskanäle sind abzuschaffen, Fahrgäste müssen einfach und aus einer Hand alle Fahrkarten erhalten können. - Entschädigungsansprüche von Onlinefahrkarten müssen auch online geltend gemacht werden können. - Eisenbahnunternehmen müssen alle reiserelevanten Informationen Drittanbietern einfach, niedrigschwellig und möglichst in Echtzeit zur Verfügung stellen, damit diese wiederum ihre Kunden informieren können. - Die Sanktionen für Verstöße gegen die Verordnung sind zu verschärfen.
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Meeting with Joachim Balke (Cabinet of Vice-President Miguel Arias Cañete)

6 Apr 2017 · Market Design

Meeting with Rolf Carsten Bermig (Cabinet of Commissioner Elżbieta Bieńkowska)

18 Nov 2016 · renewable energy

Meeting with Alisa Tiganj (Cabinet of Commissioner Violeta Bulc), Matej Zakonjsek (Cabinet of Commissioner Violeta Bulc)

18 Nov 2016 · EU rail and air pasenger rights

Meeting with Joachim Balke (Cabinet of Vice-President Miguel Arias Cañete)

7 Nov 2016 · Reform of the Energy Market Design and the Renewable Energy Directive

Meeting with Tiina Astola (Director-General Justice and Consumers)

13 May 2016 · Introductory meeting

Meeting with Günther Oettinger (Commissioner)

8 Jun 2015 · copyright

Meeting with Bernd Biervert (Cabinet of Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič)

26 May 2015 · Energy Union / consumer protection

Meeting with Paraskevi Michou (Acting Director-General Justice and Consumers)

27 Feb 2015 · Consumer policy issues

Meeting with Eduard Hulicius (Cabinet of Commissioner Věra Jourová)

4 Feb 2015 · Digital Single Market