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April 2025

Lead story

ANEC celebrates World Consumer Rights Day 2025

As every year, ANEC took the opportunity on 15 March to celebrate World Consumer Rights Day, organised globally by Consumer International. This year’s theme was dedicated to the topic of “A just transition to sustainable lifestyles”.

To mark the occasion, we launched a social media campaign where we asked the question, “How can standards contribute to sustainable lifestyle choices?”. In the discussion, we gave specific attention to Ecodesign, energy efficiency, sustainable housing, mobility, clear and unambiguous consumer information, and consumer vulnerability.

As part of the celebration, on 11 March, ANEC also hosted a public webinar titled “Sustainable Lifestyles & Consumer Products”.

The event brought together experts to explore how standardisation and informed consumer choices can contribute to a more sustainable future. Boštjan Okorn, Chair of the ANEC Sustainability and Traffic & Mobility Working Groups, opened the discussion with a focus on the value of Ecodesign standards for consumers. Olivia Brown, Policy Officer at Euroconsumers, reflected on whether refurbished products could represent a sustainable path forward. The broader connection to sustainable living and our work was explored by ANEC’s senior sustainability experts, Michela Vuerich and Isabel Lopez-Neira. The session was moderated and concluded by Chiara Giovannini, ANEC Deputy Director-General.

Read more about the ANEC webinar on Sustainable Lifestyles & Consumer Products.

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ANEC Steering Committee

On 11 March 2025, two members were elected by the General Assembly to join the ANEC Steering Committee, the board of the association, for the remainder of its term 2023 to 2027. Our congratulations to Elżbieta Szadzińska (Poland) and Jens Henriksson (Sweden).

Norwegian Consumer Council

On 4 March, we were delighted to welcome the Board and leadership team of the Forbrukerrådet (Norwegian Consumer Council) to Brussels.

In an all too-short session, ANEC Director-General Stephen Russell, and Deputy Director-General, Chiara Giovannini, used the opportunity to review the latest developments in European and international standardisation, and take questions on the potential consequences for the consumer voice.

We also extended our sincere thanks to the Consumer Council for its unwavering commitment to ANEC over the past 30 years.

Workshop on inclusiveness

Product designers, manufacturers and market surveillance authorities gathered at the EC Berlaymont building in Brussels on 10 March for the Workshop “Inclusiveness in Product Safety: Ensuring Safe Products for All”, hosted by EC DG JUST.

The new General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR) includes a legal obligation for economic operators to consider, during the safety assessment of a product, which categories of consumer will use the product, and especially whether these categories will include vulnerable consumers.

The workshop aimed at raising awareness about the importance of inclusiveness in product safety, to share best practices and discuss the application of legal obligations under the GPSR to ensure that products are safe for all consumers. ANEC Senior Manager, Tania Vandenberghe, was one of the speakers and spoke about challenges and opportunities in standardisation.

Tania presented our campaign to improve standards for electrical household appliances to take into account the use by vulnerable consumers, and gave further examples of robot lawnmowers, permanently-installed outdoor fitness equipment, and cutlery and feeding utensils. She highlighted that standards are a suitable tool for inclusiveness if ‘Design for All’ and ‘Safety by design’ principles are applied, so that as many people as possible can use products, regardless of age or ability.

The Workshop included interesting and inspiring break-out sessions to discuss and examine best practices for inclusive product design and risk assessments; how to recognise and address biases and blind spots in product design regarding consumers in vulnerable positions, and how to identify vulnerabilities faced by consumers and provide tools and approaches to ensure product safety for all.

(Tania Vandenberghe (right) and representatives from KONEKT) 

Child Safety

ANEC Child Safety WG meets

The annual meeting of the ANEC Child Safety WG was held in Brussels on 11 & 12 March and attended by 23 experts. We were especially pleased to welcome new experts from Portugal and the Netherlands.

The WG discussed achievements; upcoming challenges and priorities in standardisation work on toys, sports & playground equipment, child care articles & children’s furniture, and other products related to child safety. General entrapment requirements, clothing-related entanglement risks, freely accessible outdoor fitness equipment, slings, and safety requirements for hoods were just a few of the discussion topics on the agenda.

We heard valuable presentations on how to include ergonomic aspects in standards, and on the vibrations characterisation of babies transported in strollers and cargo-bikes. These will help inform our positions during the development of standards for children’s products.

We were pleased to welcome guests from DG JUST, DG GROW and CEN-CENELEC.
DG JUST presented the new criteria for assessment of the level of risk under the General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR), as included in the Delegated Act on the functioning of the Safety Gate Rapid Alert System, published on 27 August 2024.

Meanwhile, DG GROW provided an update on the revision of the Toy Safety Directive. Trilogue where negotiations remain on-going. We hope for an agreement in the near future on a new Toy Safety Regulation that will better protect children from harmful toys.

CEN-CENELEC introduced the web-portal and national read-only platforms for access to harmonised standards, following the ruling of the European Court of Justice (ECJ) in March 2024. The ECJ ruled that there is an overriding public interest, justifying the disclosure of harmonised standards.

Last but not least, to mark ANEC’s 30th anniversary this year, our experts received a token of appreciation to celebrate three decades of dedication to raising safety standards for some of the most vulnerable consumers.

ANEC Child Safety WG training

The Child Safety WG meeting also included a practical training exercise for our experts on the risk assessment of several baby products that are gaining popularity among parents, but for which no European Standard exists.

This session aimed to equip participants with the skills necessary to evaluate potential hazards associated with these products, and to contribute to the standardisation process. Through hands-on activities and scenario analysis, attendees learned to identify the most common risks posed by baby sleep positioners, head bands (straps) for car seats, baby neck rings, amber teething necklaces and therapeutic (textile) swings.

Accessibility

prEN 18156 on tactile lettering

The draft standard, prEN 18156, ‘Tactile lettering - Requirements on the presentation and application of Braille and raised characters’, is out for CEN Enquiry until 24 April 2025. ANEC has played a leading role in the development of the standard  and supports its adoption.

Tactile lettering means information provided both in Braille and raised characters. The document sets out rules for content, design, arrangement and application. The adoption of this standard would help ensure that blind and partially sighted people can locate, identify, fluently read, and interpret tactile information more effectively.

Digital Society

ANEC Digital Society WG meets

The 45^th ANEC Digital Society WG meeting took place online on 25 & 26 February 2025.

Our experts discussed consumer-relevant topics in standardisation, including Artificial Intelligence, Privacy and cybersecurity standards, Safety of audio-video equipment, Smart and sustainable cities and communities, eRecognition, and Biometrics. Moreover, our experts also considered ideas for the next Digital Society work programme, looking at aspects such as the metaverse, e-sports, e-games, and virtual worlds.

Domestic appliances & Services

ANEC on CO safety

 On 18 February, ANEC was spoke at the 12^th Carbon Monoxide (CO) Roundtable, hosted by the Council of Gas Detection and Environmental Monitoring (CoGDEM EU). This annual event raises awareness about the dangers of CO and explores how EU policies can help protect people in their homes.

Held under the theme “EU Housing Strategy, Ensuring CO Safety”, the roundtable brought together MEPs, national policymakers and safety experts. Discussions focused on indoor air quality, the new Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD), and how energy poverty sees an increased risk of CO poisoning in vulnerable households.

ANEC Senior Manager, Tania Vandenberghe, shared our latest work on CO safety across Europe, including product testing, standardisation, and public awareness. She highlighted worrying results from recent investigations. The UK consumer group, Which?, found that several unbranded CO alarms sold online failed to meet safety standards, with problems in alarm function, sound levels, stability and missing safety instructions. Similar findings were reported by the Spanish consumer organisation, OCU.

These unsafe products pose a real risk, especially when bought from online marketplaces, and damage consumer trust.

ANEC has called for revisions of the key EN 50291-1 and EN 50291-2 standards, particularly regarding alarm activation levels, and welcome an initiative by CENELEC TC/216 to review the standards.

Finally, we raised awareness of the dangers linked to indoor use of barbecues, often used as a heat source in response to energy poverty. This practice can lead to CO poisoning and must be addressed through safety campaigns.

Sustainability

ANEC webinar on Sustainable Finance

On 25 March, ANEC hosted the webinar, "Consumers Navigating Sustainable Finance", bringing together consumer organisations to discuss the EU’s sustainable finance landscape. Moderated by Michela Vuerich, ANEC's Lead Programme Manager, and Boštjan Okorn, Chair of the ANEC Sustainability WG, the discussion featured insights from experts, Anna Martin BEUC Head of Financial Services; Tom Redmond, BEUC Sustainable Finance Policy Officer; and Kęstutis Kupšys, ANEC expert and representative in work on Sustainable Finance.

Michela opened the discussion by highlighting the role of Sustainable Finance in the delivery of the European Green Deal and ANEC’s efforts in this field. The BEUC experts provided an update on EU sustainable finance policies - discussing the EU taxonomy and CSRD review, as well as the Sustainable Finance Disclosures Regulation (SFDR) – and called for improvements to enhance transparency in preventing misleading claims. They warned that ongoing efforts to simplify reporting requirements may lead to reduced transparency for consumers.

Kęstutis Kupšys, ANEC expert in ISO/TC 322 ‘Sustainable Finance’ and CEN/TC 475 ‘Finance’, explained the current developments on standards on sustainable finance and transition finance. He discussed climate-related financial risks, including asset value losses and rising insurance costs, and emphasised the role of private investment in the green transition.

A panel discussion and audience poll reinforced the need for stronger, consumer-friendly regulations in sustainable finance.

Ecodesign

EC Ecodesign Forum

On 19-20 February, ANEC attended the first Ecodesign Forum meeting in Brussels, now under the framework of the Ecodesign Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), following our successful application to be part of this EC stakeholder group. The Forum was inaugurated by Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience & a Competitive Circular Economy, Jessika Roswall.

The meeting discussed the first ESPR Working Plan, as well as disclosure of information and derogations on destruction of unsold goods.

Following the meeting, ANEC & BEUC submitted joint comments welcoming the Working Plan, and stressing the importance of Ecodesign rules for consumers in making products more sustainable by design. We also called on the EC to set Ecodesign requirements for footwear and mattresses, while supporting horizontal requirements on material efficiency and the prohibition on destroying unsold footwear and textile.

To learn more about ANEC activities in Ecodesign visit, Ecodesigned4Life and reaLIFEstandards.

Traffic & Mobility

ANEC warns against lowering standards

On 7 March 2025, the Financial Times published a letter from European stakeholders in vehicle safety, consumer protection and road safety calling for EU safety standards to be protected in trade negotiations with the US. The coalition has written more recently to President Ursula von den Leyen

ANEC Director-General, Stephen Russell, co-signed the letters, warning that pushing for “equivalence” or mutual recognition of vehicles would open the EU market to US-specification vehicles which fail to meet EU safety standards. This could result in more fatalities on EU roads.

(AI-generated image)

You can read more in further articles from the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC article) and Federation Internationale de L’Automobile (FIA article), also signatories.

In Memoriam

Benny Borg Bonello

We are saddened to share the passing of Benny Borg Bonello, a long-standing Maltese member of the ANEC General Assembly and former President of Malta’s Consumers’ Association. He passed away on 26 January at the age of 76.

The Malta Competition and Consumer Affairs Authority (MCCAA) paid tribute to Mr Borg Bonello, describing him as “a stalwart in consumer advocacy” whose legacy is one of integrity, dedication and unwavering commitment to consumer rights. He was remembered as a tireless voice for fairness, and a vigilant defender against harmful practices.

Chevalier Prof. Renald Blundell, who also served as President of the Consumers’ Association and as a member of the ANEC General Assembly, praised Mr Borg Bonello for his support and for inspiring him to enter the field of consumer protection.

The Consumers’ Association of Malta, which closed its doors in 2024, made a final gesture by donating its remaining funds to the University of Malta to support consumer-related research, so continuing Benny’s legacy of advocacy and service.