Since 27 September 2026 the Empowering Consumers Directive applies across the EU. Generic claims such as “eco-friendly”, “green” or “climate friendly” are banned unless the company can show recognised excellent environmental performance, and claims that a product is “carbon neutral” because the maker bought offsets are banned outright. Sustainability labels must come from a certification scheme or a public authority. The same law bans tricks that shorten a product’s life, such as hiding that a software update will slow a device, and shops must now show a standard EU notice about your two-year legal guarantee.
For youTreat any green label without a named certification scheme as a red flag, and report it to your national consumer authority. Look for the new EU guarantee notice in shops and online.
Next: Not every country has written the rules into national law: on 28 May 2026 the Commission sent formal warnings to 20 member states. The stricter Green Claims Directive is still blocked; the Commission said in June 2025 it intended to withdraw it but has not done so formally.
The EU’s electricity market reform (Directive (EU) 2024/1711) gave households a stronger right to choose and switch their electricity supplier and a new right to share self-produced energy, for example with neighbours. Member states had until 17 July 2026 to put these rights into national law. On 25 September the Commission sent letters of formal notice to 18 countries that had not done so: Belgium, Croatia, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden.
For youYour right to switch electricity supplier already exists under earlier EU rules. The new rights on energy sharing may take longer to reach you if your country is on the list.
Next: The 18 countries have two months (until late November 2026) to reply; the Commission can then escalate to a reasoned opinion.
On 17 September 2026 the Commission proposed the EU KIDS Act. Children under 13 would not be allowed on social media; 13- and 14-year-olds could only use a “mini account” managed by a parent, with limited features and a one-hour daily limit; from 15 they could open their own account. Social media, video platforms, online games and AI chatbots and companions would have to switch off features such as infinite scroll, reward loops and night-time push notifications for minors, keep children’s profiles private by default and block contact from strangers. Platforms would have to verify age, for example with the EU age-verification app, and the largest platforms would have to prove their services are safe for children.
For youNothing changes yet: this is a proposal. If it becomes law, expect age checks when opening accounts and different settings for under-18s.
Next: The European Parliament and the Council now negotiate the text; no application date is set yet. It follows the Parliament’s non-binding call, in November 2025, for a minimum age of 16.
From 20 November 2026 the new Consumer Credit Directive applies. It covers loans up to €100,000 and, for the first time, buy-now-pay-later and small interest-free loans from a third-party lender. Lenders must check whether you can afford the credit, give standard cost information and offer reasonable forbearance before enforcing if you fall behind. Still exempt: a shop letting you pay its own invoice later, free of interest and charges, within 50 days.
For youExpect a few more “declined” moments at checkout, and clearer terms before you agree to pay in instalments.
Next: The date is set in the directive. Not all countries are ready: in January 2026 the Commission warned 23 member states for late transposition. Germany and France have adopted their laws; the Dutch bill (36924) is still in parliament.
The first overhaul of the EU air passenger rules since 2004 was approved by Parliament on 7 July and the Council on 13 July 2026, and signed on 16 September. Compensation stays at €250, €400 or €600 for arrivals more than 3 hours late; on the longest flights airlines may halve the €600 if the delay is under 4 hours. A personal item up to 40×30×15 cm must fly free in the cabin, and booking sites must show by default the fare that includes a cabin bag — the cabin bag itself is not free. Airlines may no longer cancel your return flight because you missed the outbound one.
For youNothing changes yet. Until the new rules apply, today’s EC261 rights and our claim tool work exactly as before.
Next: Publication in the Official Journal is pending. The rules enter into force 20 days after publication and apply 12 months later, so expect late 2027.
Since 12 September 2025 the Data Act lets owners of connected products — cars, smart appliances, fitness trackers — ask for the data their device generates, free of charge, and have it shared with a service of their choice, such as an independent repairer. From 12 September 2026 new connected products and related services placed on the market must be designed so that this data is available to the user by default, easily and securely. Products already on the market before that date are not covered by this design rule.
For youYou can ask the maker of your connected car or appliance for your data, and for it to be sent to a repairer or service you choose.
Next: From 12 January 2027 cloud providers may no longer charge fees for switching to another provider.
On 31 August 2026 the Commission designated ChatGPT as a very large online search engine and Reddit and Roblox as very large online platforms under the Digital Services Act. That puts them in the same group as Google, Instagram and TikTok. They must assess and reduce risks such as illegal content, harm to minors, users’ mental and physical well-being and threats to elections, and they are supervised directly by the Commission.
For youRoblox is widely used by children: the new duties include protecting minors. You can report illegal content and the platform must act on it.
Next: The extra obligations apply four months after designation, around January 2027.
Since 2 August 2026 the Commission’s AI Office and national authorities enforce the AI Act. Chatbots and other interactive AI must tell you that you are dealing with AI, not a human, and AI-generated or edited images, video and audio must be labelled as such. In June 2026 Parliament and Council agreed changes to the Act: AI systems that generate child sexual abuse material or intimate images without consent (‘nudifier’ apps) are banned from 2 December 2026, while the rules for high-risk AI — such as credit scoring and hiring — were pushed back to December 2027.
For youYou have a right to know when you are talking to a bot. Be sceptical of unlabelled images and video that look real.
Next: 2 December 2026: nudifier ban, and machine-readable marking becomes compulsory for AI systems already on the market before 2 August. 2 December 2027: rules for stand-alone high-risk AI. 2 August 2028: high-risk AI built into products.
The temporary EU rule that lets apps voluntarily scan messages for child sexual abuse material expired on 3 April 2026. On 9 July Parliament did not reject its revival (314 votes to reject; 360 were needed) but excluded end-to-end encrypted communications such as WhatsApp and Signal. The Council accepted Parliament’s changes on 23 July, and Regulation (EU) 2026/1881 has applied since 31 July 2026, until 3 April 2028. The permanent “Chat Control” law (the CSA Regulation) is still being negotiated, and mandatory detection orders remain the main point of dispute.
For youNo EU law forces apps to scan your private messages, and the temporary rule does not cover encrypted chats.
Next: Negotiations on the permanent law continue under the Irish Council presidency; there was no agreement as of 29 September 2026. The temporary rule runs until 3 April 2028.
Since 31 July 2026 the Right to Repair Directive applies. Makers of phones, tablets, washing machines, dishwashers, fridges, vacuum cleaners, tumble dryers, displays, e-bike batteries and, from the same date, room heaters must repair them free of charge or for a reasonable price and within a reasonable time — also after the legal guarantee has ended. If you choose repair instead of a replacement while under guarantee, the guarantee is extended once by 12 months (for purchases from 31 July 2026). Repairers can give you a European Repair Information Form, a quote that stays valid for 30 days.
For you“Buy a new one” is no longer the only answer. Ask the maker for a repair and for the repair information form to compare quotes.
Next: On 25 September 2026 the Commission warned 18 member states that have not fully transposed the directive; they have two months to reply. An EU online repair platform is due by 31 July 2027; the Commission expects it to be running in January 2028.
On 23 July 2026 the Commission fined Google €890 million under the Digital Markets Act. €460 million is for showing its own services — such as shopping, hotels and transport — more prominently in search results than rivals. €430 million is for Google Play rules that stopped app developers from telling users about cheaper offers elsewhere. The Commission ordered Google to end both practices.
For youSearch results should give rival comparison and booking sites a fairer place, and apps should be able to point you to cheaper ways to pay.
Next: Google must comply with the decision; if it doesn’t, the Commission can impose periodic penalty payments.
On 23 July 2026 the European Central Bank unveiled ten shortlisted designs for the next euro banknotes, under two themes: “European culture” and “Rivers and birds”. The public could give its views in an online survey until 21 September. It is the first full redesign since the euro notes were launched in 2002.
For youYour current notes keep their full value and will keep circulating alongside the new ones. Nothing to exchange.
Next: The ECB’s Governing Council will pick the final design around the end of 2026; the new notes follow in later years.
On 20 July 2026 the Commission fined AliExpress €550 million under the Digital Services Act for failing to properly assess and reduce the risk of illegal, unsafe and counterfeit products being sold on its marketplace. It is the largest DSA fine to date, following Temu (€200 million, May 2026) and X (€120 million, December 2025). The Commission ordered AliExpress to fix the problems.
For youBig marketplaces must now actively check what sellers offer you. Unsafe products can still slip through: check the EU Safety Gate before buying toys, chargers or cosmetics from unknown sellers.
Next: If AliExpress does not comply, the Commission can add periodic penalty payments.
On 10 July 2026 the Commission’s preliminary finding under the Digital Services Act said Meta’s use of infinite scroll, autoplay, push notifications and personalised recommender systems breaches its duty to assess and reduce risks to users on Instagram and Facebook, including minors. A final non-compliance decision could cost Meta up to 6% of its global turnover. TikTok received a similar preliminary finding on 6 February 2026.
For youIf the finding sticks, expect calmer defaults EU-wide — screen-time breaks, less autoplay, feeds that let you go.
Next: Meta can reply before the Commission decides. As of 29 September 2026 there is no final decision in either the Meta or the TikTok case.
On 9 July 2026 the European Parliament confirmed its negotiating position on the digital euro (416 votes to 169), after the Council agreed its own in December 2025. The digital euro would work online and offline, with strong privacy for payments. How much each person may hold is still being negotiated; €3,000 is only an illustrative figure the ECB has used in its work. The ECB plans a pilot in 2027 and a possible first issue in 2029, provided the law is adopted in 2026.
For youCash isn’t going anywhere. This would add a public, ECB-backed way to pay next to cards and apps — the privacy details are the part worth watching.
Next: Negotiations between Parliament and Council continue; no deal as of 29 September 2026. A separate law protecting cash as legal tender is in the same talks.
On 2 July 2026 the EU Court of Justice dismissed Google’s appeal (case C-738/22 P) against the Android antitrust fine, confirming €4.125 billion as set by the General Court — one of the largest EU competition fines ever. After nearly a decade of litigation over Google forcing its search and browser onto Android phones, there are no appeals left.
For youThe choice screens and unbundled defaults you see on Android in Europe are backed by a final judgment, and rivals can build damages claims on it.
Next: Watch for follow-on damages claims from competitors in national courts.
Since 1 July 2026 the EU charges a flat €3 customs duty per item type on parcels worth under €150 bought from outside the EU; the old duty-free exemption is gone. Five T-shirts cost €3, three T-shirts and a watch cost €6. On 21 September the Commission set an extra EU handling fee of €2 per item, which member states must collect by 1 November 2026. The EU’s new customs code, published on 21 September, makes online platforms responsible as importers and replaces the flat duty with normal duty rates from 1 July 2028.
For youUltra-cheap hauls cost more, and the price at checkout may not show the duty or fee. Some countries add their own parcel charges on top.
Next: The €2 fee still has to be published in the Official Journal, and Parliament and Council can object; it is expected from 1 November 2026. Normal duty rates from 1 July 2028.
The “Stop Destroying Videogames” citizens’ initiative — 1,294,188 verified signatures — asked the EU to stop publishers from making games unplayable when they switch off servers. After a Parliament hearing on 16 April and a plenary debate on 21 May, the Commission replied on 16 June 2026 that it cannot propose a legal obligation at this stage. Instead it will start talks with industry and consumer groups by the end of 2026, aimed at a voluntary code of conduct on the “end of life” of games.
For youYour dead game stays dead — for now. Existing EU digital-content rules may still give you remedies if a game you paid for stops working.
Next: Talks with industry start by the end of 2026, and the Commission will report on the Digital Content Directive before the end of 2026. The Digital Fairness Act proposal is expected in Q4 2026.
The revised Package Travel Directive entered into force on 28 May 2026. When a package is cancelled, the organiser may only give you a voucher instead of a refund if you expressly agree, and an unused voucher must be refunded automatically. If the organiser goes bust, you must get your money back within six months, and complaints must be answered within 60 days. The confusing category of “linked travel arrangements” disappears.
For youFor now your national package-travel rules apply as before. The Commission has encouraged organisers to apply the voucher rules straight away — ask for a refund, not a voucher.
Next: Member states have 28 months to write the rules into national law, and they become binding on travel companies six months after that — around 2029.
On 28 May 2026 the Commission fined Temu €200 million under the Digital Services Act for an inadequate assessment of the risk of illegal and unsafe products on its marketplace; test purchases found chargers and baby toys that failed safety tests. Temu had to present an action plan. Formal proceedings against Shein opened on 17 February 2026, and AliExpress was fined €550 million on 20 July.
For youThose suspiciously cheap toys, chargers and cosmetics? The EU is forcing marketplaces to check what their sellers ship to you.
Next: The Commission has not published whether it accepted Temu’s action plan (status 29 September 2026). The Shein investigation continues.
In November 2024 Spain’s consumer ministry fined Ryanair, Vueling, easyJet, Norwegian and Volotea almost €179 million in total, partly for charging for cabin bags; the airlines took the fines to court. In October 2025 the Commission opened an infringement case against Spain, arguing its aviation law limits airlines’ freedom to set prices. The new EU air passenger rules, signed on 16 September 2026, settle part of the question: a personal item up to 40×30×15 cm must fly free, while a larger cabin bag can still cost extra but must be shown in the default fare.
For youCharged for a small bag that fits under the seat? Keep the receipt. Charges for a trolley bag remain legal, including under the new rules.
Next: No final court ruling on the Spanish fines has been published (not officially confirmed). The new EU rules apply about a year after publication in the Official Journal, expected late 2027.
The Entry/Exit System has digitally logged every non-EU visitor’s border crossing in the Schengen area since 10 April 2026, replacing passport stamps. Next comes ETIAS: visa-free visitors, such as Britons and Americans, will need a €20 online travel authorisation before travelling. The Commission’s official line is still that ETIAS starts in the last quarter of 2026, but no date has been announced, and it promises to give the date several months ahead. Press reports say the launch is slipping to 2027 (not confirmed officially).
For youEU citizens: nothing to do. Non-EU friends and family don’t need ETIAS yet — and should use only the official ETIAS site once it opens, not paid look-alikes.
Next: After launch there is a transition period of at least six months and then a grace period of at least six months before ETIAS is fully enforced.
Since 9 October 2025, banks in the euro area must check whether the recipient’s name matches the IBAN before you send a euro transfer, and warn you if it doesn’t — free of charge. “Verification of Payee” is one of the most effective anti-scam rules the EU has shipped: fake-invoice, fake-landlord and “new bank details” fraud all rely on you not knowing who really owns the account.
For youNever wave a “no match” warning through. Pair it with our scam checker before you pay anyone new.
Next: Banks in non-euro EU countries must receive instant euro payments by 9 January 2027 and offer the name check by 9 July 2027. The new Payment Services Regulation, agreed in November 2025 but not yet formally adopted, would extend name checks to all transfers and make banks refund victims of bank-impersonation fraud.