Invitation to two web seminars
Digitization and Sustainable Consumption in Teacher Trainings
On May 20 and 27, 2021, both from 12 am to 1 pm, ConPolicy and the Institute for Ecological Economy Research (IÖW) will host two web seminars about digitalization and sustainable consumption in teacher trainings. The first part on May 20 deals with 'Hardware and software'. The second part on May 27 will be on 'Online trade and marketing'. The seminars are intended for at training providers and other multipliers and interested people in the education sector.
The aim of the two web seminars is to encourage multipliers in the education sector to pay more attention to the interface between digitization and sustainable consumption. In addition to an overview of central contexts in the thematic field, practical advice on relevant educational materials and actors will be provided.
Find more information about the web seminars here.
Last call for registrations
Invitation to the Online Consumer Research Forum 'Nudging in Consumer Policy' on June 08, 2021
On 08 June 2021, the Consumer, Market and Policy Research Center (CCMP) of Zeppelin University in cooperation with the ConPolicy Institute for Consumer Policy and the European University Institute (EUI) Florence will host the Online Consumer Research Forum 2021of the Ministry of Food, Rural Areas and Consumer Protection Baden-Württemberg (MLR). The event will take place from 12.30 until 16.30 pm.
The research forum will focus on the questions of what influence behavioral science findings have had on consumer policy in the last decade and to what extent behavioral science findings should continue to be taken into account in consumer policy in the coming years.
Keynote speaker Prof. Dr. Cass R. Sunstein (Robert Walmsley University Professor at Harvard) will introduce the topic. This will be followed by panel discussions on legal and practical issues related to the use of behavior-based tools. In a closing discussion, we will also provide an outlook with experts from the EU and federal level.
We welcome your registration by email at: ccmp@zu.de. The program for the event can be found here.
Project on behalf of the Federation of German Consumer Organisations (vzbv)
New publication on PSD2 implementation in Germany
Just over a year ago, the Payment Services Directive (PSD2) became effective. It enables a range of new services. These include on the one hand account information services, which can help consumers better manage their finances. For example, these services break down how much is spent on restaurant visits, trips, or monthly fix costs. On the other hand, payment initiation services expand the choice of payment options and compete with more traditional methods such as credit cards.
On behalf of the Federation of German Consumer Organisations (vzbv), ConPolicy prepared a report on the implementation of the PSD2 in Germany from a consumer perspective. The report examines typical services as well as the providers’ underlying business models as part of an exemplary market overview of the different types of services encompassed by the PSD2.
Based on this market overview, the report subsequently analyses both the benefits as well as the problems and risks consumers experience as a result of PSD2. The guideline creates added values through an increase in user-friendliness of otherwise complex financial services as well as through an increase in competition, confidence, and security within the market.
Despite these positive aspects, the assessment also uncovered problems in the PSD2 market. Some of the providers’ business models are in discrepancy to consumer interests. This issue especially pertains to commission-based business models. It is further questionable whether users’ privacy is always protected.
Based on this analysis, the assessment formulates recommendations for further action, for example for improved privacy protection and identifies future research needs.
The report has been published on the vzbv website and is available here. Further information on the project can be found here.
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