News
Knowledge is power - The same is true for consumer policy. Knowledge is also the prerequisite for learning. That is why ConPolicy shares information about relevant news in the world of consumer policy and activities of the institute.
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British consumer organization announces success regarding remuneration of banking staff
The British consumer organization, Which?, announced a success of its Future of the Banking Commission’s work. Which? said that the Financial Services Authority now appears to be acting on its concerns by announcing a review of... > read more
British Financial Services Authority enhances consumer protection in PPI market
Reacting to insufficiencies in the market for Payment Protection Insurance (PPI), the Financial Services Authority (FSA) today published a policy statement to enhance consumer protections. The package should ensure that... > read more
British government opens public consultation on its new approach to financial regulation
Today the Financial Secretary to the Treasury, Mark Hoban, opened a public consultation on the UK government’s proposal to financial regulation. The proposal envisages to place the Bank of England in charge of macro-prudential... > read more
New rules for the US financial industry
On Thursday US Senate approved the broadest overhaul of financial rules for years. It is expected that President Obama will sign it into law next week. The more than 2,300 page bill comprises a range of different measures. These... > read more
British Financial Services Authority presents consumer protection priorities
In a speech at the British Bankers’ Association last Monday, Chairman of the British Financial Services Authority (FSA) Adair Turner summarized the priorities of the FSA in the realm of consumer protection. In the past - he... > read more
British consumers are not prepared to pay for smart meters
The British testing organization, Which?, questioned 2,000 UK adults about their attitudes regarding smart meters. Nine in ten people say that energy suppliers should pay for smart meters if they are going to save money from the... > read more
OECD publishes toolkit for consumer policy makers
Consumer markets have rapidly developed in recent years demanding higher levels of knowledge and skill on the part of consumers. At the same time consumer expectations have changed: The public expects policy makers to respond... > read more
OECD creates Working Party to tackle dangerous consumer products
The OECD announced today that it will create a new Working Party that focuses on the safety of consumer products. The Working Party will implement a ten-point action plan. This plan focuses on improving information sharing and... > read more
Way cleared for improved consumer protections in financial services in the United States
In a marathon session of more than 21 hours, House and Senate negotiators hammered out a historic overhaul of financial protections last Friday. It is expected that both chambers of Congress will give final approval this week so... > read more
Future of banking - Final report published
Due to the financial crisis not only 16 million jobs world-wide are lost, but banks had to write down $2.3 trillion of assets. The financial crisis has led to a debate on how to better regulate the financial market. This debate... > read more
Traffic light nutrition labelling is best instrument to reach consumers - concludes DIW Weekly Report
Overweight poses serious implications not only for the individual, but also for the health care system. One third of total health care expenditures are devoted to illnesses related to overweight. Those most often affected include... > read more
OFT research highlights that price frames cause consumer detriment
On 28 May 2010 the Office of Fair Trading published a report that analyses whether or not the way prices are presented or “framed” to consumers has effect on consumer decision making and consumer welfare. To answer this... > read more
OFT publishes views on online targeted advertising and pricing
On Tuesday the British Office of Fair Trading (OFT) published a market study in which it lays out its views on behavioural advertising and targeted pricing practices. The OFT concludes that while industry self-regulation... > read more
New British government presents coalition programme: Consumer protection will be strengthened particularly in financial services
On the 20th of May 2010 the new British government presented the Coalition Programme for Government. The document entails a range of measures that concern consumer protection. Financial services The Coalition Programme... > read more
US Senate passes Wall Street reform bill: Consumer organizations applaud
The Senate on Thursday approved a far-reaching financial regulatory reform bill that will bring a broad expansion of government oversight of financial markets. Large financial firms could be prohibited from proprietary trading... > read more
Mother’s Day E-Card of the FTC
Mother’s Day is the day at which we thank mothers for their care. The US FTC started an E-Card campaign. Instead of sending mothers flower E-cards, the FTC offers E-cards with tips for keeping personal information secure. The... > read more
Consumer organisations urge for more effective worldwide measures to save household energy
Buildings worldwide account for 40 per cent of global energy consumption. The residential subsector accounts for a significant proportion of this percentage. Due to a lack of insulation and non-adapted or insufficient heating and... > read more
Consumer Rights and fair business principles to be defended in the digital environment - New TACD resolution
In a new resolution the Trans Atlantic Consumer Dialogue urges that consumer rights have to be better protected in the digital environment. US and European consumer organizations criticize that in the digital marketplace... > read more
Obama defends consumer protection in financial services
In his address to Wall Street bankers and students US President Obama reiterated the need to improve consumer protection in financial services. In his defence of the financial reform package, he called for four pillars of... > read more
German consumers obtain new rights to be informed vis-à-vis credit bureaus
Increasingly businesses use information of credit bureaus to assess whether and under what conditions they offer consumers a credit, telecommunication or energy service contract. The information is used to calculate a score that... > read more
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