EU: Consumer protection cooperation

The Regulation 2006/2004 on Consumer Protection Cooperation (the "CPC Regulation") was adopted on 27 October 2004 and entered into force on 29 December 2006 following two years of intensive preparatory work by the Commission and Member States.

Regulation 2006/2004 lays down the conditions under which the competent authorities in the Member States designated as responsible for the enforcement of the laws that protect consumers' interests shall cooperate with each other and with the Commission in order to ensure compliance with those laws and the smooth functioning of the internal market and in order to enhance the protection of consumers' economic interests (Article 1).


The latest consolidated version of Regulation 2006/2004 is of 19 December 2007, but the Regulation has since been amended by Common Position (EC) No 16/2009.



The Commission has now issued a report on the first two years of application of Regulation 2006/2004:

Report from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council on the application of Regulation (EC) No 2006/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 October 2004 on cooperation between national authorities responsible for the enforcement of consumer protection laws (the Regulation on consumer protection cooperation) (Brussels, 2.7.2009 COM(2009) 336 final).




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The Commission concludes that the cooperation with and between national consumer protection authorities has been beneficial, but further measures are needed to make it more effective and efficient.

The 23 page Report includes a statistical annex.


Ralf Grahn