Every day, an estimated 12 million parcels arrive in the EU by air. The rapid growth of e-commerce has a significant environmental impact and also leads to more and more non-compliant and dangerous goods arriving in the European market. A visit to one of Europe's most important cargo airports, organised by the European Consumer Organisation BEUC, highlighted how difficult it is in practice to monitor and impose sanctions on unsafe products, counterfeits, undeclared goods and fraud.

At the end of last year, the EU Parliament set up a special committee on the housing crisis in the EU. The draft of the decisive report is now available. It aims to propose solutions for decent, sustainable and affordable housing. Whether the current version will succeed in doing so is questionable. As the Commissioner responsible, Dan Jørgensen, recently noted at an event in the EU Parliament, the first draft is controversial.

In its fourth omnibus package, the European Commission proposes that the new category of "small mid-cap companies" should be exempt from the obligation to maintain a record of processing activities under Article 30(5) of the GDPR, provided their data processing does not pose a high risk. However, this proposal overlooks the fact that maintaining such records helps companies gain a clear understanding of their own data processing activities and to make the right decisions in terms of data protection law.

With the Omnibus IV package, which was presented on 21 May 2025, the Commission aims to introduce a definition regarding small mid-cap companies. This is justified by the need to reduce the administrative burden on businesses. However, in concrete terms the proposals would, among others, result in massive erosion of data protection. Over the summer, the Commission conducted a consultation on the Omnibus IV Package, in which AK also participated.

The green and digital transformation, the pursuit of competitiveness and the plans to expand defence in Europe are creating a massive need for investment and financing. In view of this, the completion of the Capital Market Union is to be driven forward again under the title ‘Savings and Investment Union’. However, this contains several elements that need to be viewed critically.

On 29 November 2023, the Commission adopted a proposal to amend the Package Travel Directive. The plan to revise the Directive is explicitly welcome, although from AK’s point of view some key cornerstones are still insufficiently addressed in the Commission’s proposal. As part of the general approach in the Council, the course has already been set for more clarity in package travel.

The Regulation on Artificial Intelligence (AI Act) entered into force on 1 August 2024 and is to become fully applicable in two years. The provisions of Chapter I (General Provisions) and II (Prohibited AI Practices) already apply since 2 February 2025.

The EU Commission has developed guidelines for the implementation of the AI Act, including on the definition of AI system and on prohibited AI practices. Beforehand, the EU Commission carried out a targeted stakeholder consultation, in which AK participated and gave its opinion from a consumer policy perspective.

I will never drink again! This is the conclusion reached by many people who have had too much to drink over the holiday season and had to suffer the consequences. This is often followed by the resolution to abstain from alcohol for the whole of January. But "Dry January" is easier said than done, because alcohol is highly valued in our society. This is also due to the influence of the alcohol industry on legislation. Above all, however, political decision-makers should ensure that products are safe for consumers.

Europe's housing crisis has arrived on the EU policy agenda. With the appointment of an EU Commissioner responsible for this issue, Ursula von der Leyen wants the problem to be dealt with at the highest political level. However, many of the measures announced still seem rather vague, and overall the social dimension does not yet appear to be fully developed. Civil society and trade unions have many ideas on how housing can be organised in a more socially just way. The European Trade Union Institute (ETUI) recently held a conference on this subject.

An update of travel law has been a topic in Brussels for years. The aim is to strengthen the rights of passengers, air travellers and package holidaymakers. The EU Commission finally presented its proposals in November 2023, also prompted by the crises of recent years. Adoption in the last legislative period was therefore no longer possible. The new EU Parliament is now starting its work and discussions are already underway in the Council. But how well will Europe's travellers be protected in the future?