The European Consumer Centre in Spain (ECC-Spain) has published edition 51 of its newsletter, which highlights some of the key legislative developments and initiatives promoted by European institutions and national bodies that will have a direct impact on consumers’ rights, e-commerce and digital security.
European Affordable Housing Plan
Among the key points is the new European Affordable Housing Plan, one of the European Union’s priorities for tackling the growing pressure on the housing market. According to European Commission estimates, more than two million homes will need to be built each year to meet current demand. To make progress towards this goal, the new European Strategy for Housing Construction sets out measures aimed at streamlining administrative procedures, driving the sector’s digitalisation and fostering innovation through tools such as the future digital product passport or digital building registers. Furthermore, the recent proposal for a regulatory framework on affordable housing aims to support public authorities in managing these challenges, including the impact of short-term lettings in areas experiencing the greatest pressure on the housing market.
IA360, a plan for the responsible deployment of AI
The newsletter also devotes significant space to the IA360 Plan, the strategy promoted by the Spanish Government to foster the safe, reliable and people-centred development of artificial intelligence. The initiative thus focuses on protecting citizens’ rights, particularly those of the most vulnerable groups and minors. From a consumer perspective, the plan emphasises the need to strengthen principles such as transparency and the protection of personal data, as well as how artificial intelligence systems are used and how they may affect consumers – aspects that are becoming increasingly important for businesses operating in the digital environment and for people who use these services.
EU customs reform
Another issue addressed in this edition is the recent approval of the European Union’s customs reform, which will introduce a new handling fee applicable to parcels from third countries. The measure forms part of a comprehensive modernisation of the European customs system aimed at strengthening security controls, ensuring fairer competition in e-commerce and guaranteeing that products sold on the European market comply with EU regulations. The reform also includes the creation of a more integrated and coordinated management system for all customs authorities across the Union.
CNMC’s New Alias Register
The protection of consumers against digital scams also features prominently in this new edition. In this regard, the publication reports on the launch by the National Commission for Markets and Competition (CNMC) of the new Alias Register, a tool designed to combat fraud committed via fraudulent text messages. Since 15 September, mobile phone operators have been required to block commercial messages sent using unregistered and unauthorised identifiers, a measure aimed at reducing instances of identity theft and increasing users’ confidence in electronic communications.
Safer social media
Finally, the newsletter also highlights the initiatives being promoted to move towards safer social media for young people. Key proposals include restricting certain digital practices considered addictive, greater transparency regarding how algorithms work, new age-verification systems that respect privacy, and strengthened measures to combat cyberbullying and harmful content.
In this way, ECC-Spain continues to keep citizens, public authorities and businesses informed about the main regulatory and policy developments at European level that affect consumers, promoting a better understanding of their rights and the protection mechanisms available within the single market.
>> Newsletter No. 51 is now available on the European Consumer Centre in Spain’s website.