The ConsEUmer Podcast is a weekly program that covers the news & politics of the European Union and its member states. Produced by the Consumer Choice Center, we focus on consumer issues such as free trade, science-based policy-making, product safety, and privacy — but we won't shy away from commentary on the day to day of the European Union's institutions. Stay tuned for exclusive interviews with policy-makers and experts, hosted by our Senior Policy Analyst Bill Wirtz.
Yaël Ossowski joins the podcast this week to give us a rundown on the upcoming federal election in Canada, discuss mandatory bike helmets in the Netherlands, and the latest in the scandal surrounding EU funding of NGOs. April 24, 2025 Follow ConsEUmer wherever you get your podcasts: Apple: https://apple.co/2HR4TLTSpotify: https://spoti.fi/3l3GZdxGoogle podcasts: https://bit.ly/3fyyztoDonate: http://consumerchoicecenter.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
This week's episode is co-hosted with our own Elizabeth Hicks, and we can't help but notice that after our long break, the world of international trade got a lot worse. April 17, 2025 Follow ConsEUmer wherever you get your podcasts: Apple: https://apple.co/2HR4TLTSpotify: https://spoti.fi/3l3GZdxGoogle podcasts: https://bit.ly/3fyyztoDonate: http://consumerchoicecenter.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
There will be a new season of the Fun Police podcast, which is why there haven't been new episodes of this podcast as of late. Please go over to the "Fun Police" channel on the podcast app you're currently using, subscribe and hit the notification bell so you don't miss the weekly episode update that is starting on March 5th ! Thank you for listening, and we will be back to regularly scheduled episodes in the near future.Donate: http://consumerchoicecenter.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
This week's episode is co-hosted with Fabio Fernandes. We talk about the introduction of the common charger (USB-C) in the European Union. We also discuss the announcement by Meta to reverse its content moderation policies. January 16, 2025 Follow ConsEUmer wherever you get your podcasts: Apple: https://apple.co/2HR4TLTSpotify: https://spoti.fi/3l3GZdxGoogle podcasts: https://bit.ly/3fyyztoDonate: http://consumerchoicecenter.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Merry Christmas ! Thank for listening to this podcast in 2024, and we'll be back with new episodes in the coming year. These topics in this episode: – New EU Commission wants to make your flights more expensive (again) – Keep some cash at home, says the Dutch National Bank – Legal weed will debut in some Dutch cities in April December 19, 2024 Follow ConsEUmer wherever you get your podcasts: Apple: https://apple.co/2HR4TLTSpotify: https://spoti.fi/3l3GZdxGoogle podcasts: https://bit.ly/3fyyzto Donate: http://consumerchoicecenter.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
CCC Research Manager Emil Panzaru joins us on this episode to discuss the latest Sharing Economy Index and how they got to their findings. Check out the report here: https://consumerchoicecenter.org/sharing-economy-index-2024/ December 5, 2024 Follow ConsEUmer wherever you get your podcasts: Apple: https://apple.co/2HR4TLTSpotify: https://spoti.fi/3l3GZdxGoogle podcasts: https://bit.ly/3fyyztoDonate: http://consumerchoicecenter.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Yaël Ossowski is co-hosting this week's episode. We're talking about the French government getting its priorities wrong by planning on banning nicotine pouches. Also, the EU continues to struggles to push the EU-Mercosur free trade agreement over the line. November 28, 2024 Follow ConsEUmer wherever you get your podcasts: Apple: https://apple.co/2HR4TLTSpotify: https://spoti.fi/3l3GZdxGoogle podcasts: https://bit.ly/3fyyztoDonate: http://consumerchoicecenter.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Pieter Cleppe joins us this week to discuss the potential incoming tariffs under the Trump administration. Also, my colleague Egle joins us to lay out the latest in EU tech news, aaaaand the city of Lisbon bans night flights. November 14, 2024 Follow ConsEUmer wherever you get your podcasts: Apple: https://apple.co/2HR4TLTSpotify: https://spoti.fi/3l3GZdxGoogle podcasts: https://bit.ly/3fyyztoDonate: http://consumerchoicecenter.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Solo for this week's episode, but with these stories:
In this week's episode of the ConsEUmer podcast, Fabio Fernandes and Bill Wirtz discuss the future of Airbnb, as well as pending regulations on auto-play and infinite scroll on social media platforms. Note: sorry about missing last week's episode due to sickness! October 31, 2024 Follow ConsEUmer wherever you get your podcasts: Apple: https://apple.co/2HR4TLTSpotify: https://spoti.fi/3l3GZdxGoogle podcasts: https://bit.ly/3fyyztoDonate: http://consumerchoicecenter.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In this week's episode, Donald Kimball from the Washington Policy Center ** mistakenly said institute on the recording, apologies **, joins us to discuss what the potential breakup of Google would mean for consumers. Also, meat producers lobbying against the use of the word "sausage" in meat substitute products lost at the ECJ, and rail competition with private companies has boosted rail use in the Czech Republic. October 17, 2024 Follow ConsEUmer wherever you get your podcasts: Apple: https://apple.co/2HR4TLTSpotify: https://spoti.fi/3l3GZdxGoogle podcasts: https://bit.ly/3fyyztoDonate: http://consumerchoicecenter.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Going solo in this week's episodes, where I'll tell you more about the procedures establishing the next European Commission. Also in this episode: the Netherlands opposes blanket screening of instant messaging services like WhatsApp, and the mayor of Paris faces a major battle over the reduced speed limits on Paris' peripheral roads. October 3, 2024 Follow ConsEUmer wherever you get your podcasts: Apple: https://apple.co/2HR4TLTSpotify: https://spoti.fi/3l3GZdxGoogle podcasts: https://bit.ly/3fyyztoDonate: http://consumerchoicecenter.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
This week's episode is co-hosted with the CCC's U.S Affairs Analyst Elizabeth Hicks. We talk about the U.S presidential election, and the latest proposals by both Kamala Harris and Donald Trump for price controls. Follow Liz on X @eohicks. September 26, 2024 Follow ConsEUmer wherever you get your podcasts: Apple: https://apple.co/2HR4TLTSpotify: https://spoti.fi/3l3GZdxGoogle podcasts: https://bit.ly/3fyyztoDonate: http://consumerchoicecenter.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
This week's episode is co-hosted with Fabio Fernandes. We talk about the competitiveness and innovation report by former Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, as well as the release of the iPhone 16 and some of the missing features that Europeans won't be able to enjoy. September 12, 2024 Follow ConsEUmer wherever you get your podcasts: Apple: https://apple.co/2HR4TLTSpotify: https://spoti.fi/3l3GZdxGoogle podcasts: https://bit.ly/3fyyztoDonate: http://consumerchoicecenter.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
We're back from our summer break ! In this week's episode: dropshipping companies are under fire by a Dutch consumer watchdog, Brazil has banned the use of the social media platform X -- our colleague Lucas Palma joins us to discuss the details, and Matthias Bauer from ECIPE is on the programme to talk us through the latest news in the EU-China EV tariff saga. Check out ECIPE's work on their website: https://ecipe.org/ September 5, 2024 Follow ConsEUmer wherever you get your podcasts: Apple: https://apple.co/2HR4TLTSpotify: https://spoti.fi/3l3GZdxGoogle podcasts: https://bit.ly/3fyyztoDonate: http://consumerchoicecenter.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In this last episode before the summer break, we address falling beer sales in the Netherlands, and the ongoing Council battle of tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles. Also, Amrit Nanda from Plant ETP joins us to explain the latest on the Commission's regulatory changes on gene-editing. Check out their "Plantastic Discoveries" on their website: https://www.plantetp.eu/information-hub/ July 18, 2024 Follow ConsEUmer wherever you get your podcasts: Apple: https://apple.co/2HR4TLTSpotify: https://spoti.fi/3l3GZdxGoogle podcasts: https://bit.ly/3fyyztoDonate: http://consumerchoicecenter.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
A brief hello this week. No regular episode. Last one out next week. Hustling before the summer break! July 11, 2024 Follow ConsEUmer wherever you get your podcasts: Apple: https://apple.co/2HR4TLTSpotify: https://spoti.fi/3l3GZdxGoogle podcasts: https://bit.ly/3fyyztoDonate: http://consumerchoicecenter.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Yaël Ossowski joins us this week to discuss the latest regulatory news for end-to-end encryption and artificial intelligence in the European Union. Regulators seemingly doing, again, more harm than good. Check out EU Tech Loop: https://eutechloop.com/ July 4, 2024 Follow ConsEUmer wherever you get your podcasts: Apple: https://apple.co/2HR4TLTSpotify: https://spoti.fi/3l3GZdxGoogle podcasts: https://bit.ly/3fyyztoDonate: http://consumerchoicecenter.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In this week's episode, we discuss the mayor of Barcelona's measure to cut Airbnb licenses, we bring on Yaël Ossowski to explain Apple facing new potential fines for self-preferencing, and Chief Marketing Officer of Ryanair joins us to discuss their fight with Online Travel Agents (OTAs), and how his airline believes that consumers are being scammed. June 27, 2024 Follow ConsEUmer wherever you get your podcasts: Apple: https://apple.co/2HR4TLTSpotify: https://spoti.fi/3l3GZdxGoogle podcasts: https://bit.ly/3fyyzto Donate: http://consumerchoicecenter.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jan Burdinski is back on the podcast to discuss the most recent decision by the European Commission to consider tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles. Follow Jan Burdinski on X @Burdinski. June 20, 2024 Follow ConsEUmer wherever you get your podcasts: Apple: https://apple.co/2HR4TLTSpotify: https://spoti.fi/3l3GZdxGoogle podcasts: https://bit.ly/3fyyztoDonate: http://consumerchoicecenter.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Pieter Cleppe joins us on this week's episode to discuss the European elections that happened last week. Also in this episode: online retailers face fines in the Netherlands for deceptive discounts, and Swiss legislators criticise the ECHR for its climate change ruling. June 13, 2024 Follow ConsEUmer wherever you get your podcasts: Apple: https://apple.co/2HR4TLTSpotify: https://spoti.fi/3l3GZdxGoogle podcasts: https://bit.ly/3fyyztoDonate: http://consumerchoicecenter.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
This week's episode is co-hosted with CCC board member Chad Swarthout, who joins us to discuss his views on the use of Virtual Private Networks (VPN) and the use of VR headsets like the Apple Vision Pro. June 6, 2024 Follow ConsEUmer wherever you get your podcasts: Apple: https://apple.co/2HR4TLTSpotify: https://spoti.fi/3l3GZdxGoogle podcasts: https://bit.ly/3fyyztoDonate: http://consumerchoicecenter.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Due to last minute changes, no guest this week, but a short episode with two news stories regardless: Paris faces Airbnb prices and hotels during the Olympics that do not increase as much as planned, and the European elections are happening next week, but are they inclusive? May 30, 2024 Follow ConsEUmer wherever you get your podcasts: Apple: https://apple.co/2HR4TLTSpotify: https://spoti.fi/3l3GZdxGoogle podcasts: https://bit.ly/3fyyztoDonate: http://consumerchoicecenter.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In this episode we talk about the incoming Dutch government, a new CCC project in Europe called EU Tech Loop, and we host EPICENTER Director Adam Bartha to discuss the protests in Georgia against the foreign agents law, and how the law will jeopardise the relationship between Georgia and the EU. May 23, 2024 Follow ConsEUmer wherever you get your podcasts: Apple: https://apple.co/2HR4TLTSpotify: https://spoti.fi/3l3GZdxGoogle podcasts: https://bit.ly/3fyyztoDonate: http://consumerchoicecenter.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Fabio Fernandes is helping us unpack the latest tech news this week. We're talking about why your iPhone's battery is draining way too quickly, and what we make of the latest innovations in LLM's, as well as Sam Altman's idea for "Universal Basic Compute". Follow Fabio on X @DeFariaeSilva. May 16, 2024 Follow ConsEUmer wherever you get your podcasts: Apple: https://apple.co/2HR4TLTSpotify: https://spoti.fi/3l3GZdxGoogle podcasts: https://bit.ly/3fyyztoDonate: http://consumerchoicecenter.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Today's episode is co-hosted with the CCC's US Affairs Analyst Elizabeth Hicks! We're talking about Florida's ban on alternative meat products, and a UK law going after hidden fees and fake reviews. Follow Liz on X @eohicks. May 9, 2024 Follow ConsEUmer wherever you get your podcasts: Apple: https://apple.co/2HR4TLTSpotify: https://spoti.fi/3l3GZdxGoogle podcasts: https://bit.ly/3fyyztoDonate: http://consumerchoicecenter.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
This week I have some audio from last weekend's FDP party convention in Berlin, as well as stories about probes in Meta for disinformation tracking, and Bulgaria's new gambling ban. May 2, 2024 Follow ConsEUmer wherever you get your podcasts: Apple: https://apple.co/2HR4TLTSpotify: https://spoti.fi/3l3GZdxGoogle podcasts: https://bit.ly/3fyyztoDonate: http://consumerchoicecenter.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Going solo again this week, with no guest, but in turn I do have these stories for you:
Going solo again this week, with no guest, but in turn I do have these stories for you:
Going solo this week, with these topics:
Our guest this week is Donald Kimball, he is the Communications Manager at the Washington Policy Center and a Contributor at Young Voices. We talked about social media content moderation, showing the stark differences between the European approach, and what some lawmakers are pushing for in the United States. Also in this episode:
As the CCC gathers for a staff retreat in Dubai, UAE, we're bringing on Elizabeth Hicks, Yaël Ossowski, and Zoltán Kész from the CCC team to talk the news and their ongoing projects! March 28, 2024 Follow ConsEUmer wherever you get your podcasts: Apple: https://apple.co/2HR4TLTSpotify: https://spoti.fi/3l3GZdxGoogle podcasts: https://bit.ly/3fyyztoDonate: http://consumerchoicecenter.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Our guest this week is a returning guest: Pieter Cleppe from Brussels Report joins us to discuss the upcoming elections in Belgium. Also in this episode:
Our guest this week is Jorge Teixeira, parliamentary assistant for Initiativa Liberal, a political party in Portugal. He will comment on the parliamentary election in Portugal last Sunday, and what we can expect to happen from here on out in the coalition talks. Also in this episode:
Our guest this week is Deirdre Clune, a Member of the European Parliament for Ireland. We talk about nutritional health claims, and how they are regulated in the European Union. Also in this episode: ⛷️ The Dutch are getting worse at skiing
In this week's episode we talk to Kristen Sukalac from the Biocontrol Coalition about what biocontrol is and what it can do for European agriculture. Also in this episode:
This week our guest is Karen Melchior, a Member of the European Parliament from Denmark, who is part of the Renew Europe parliamentary group. We're talking about content moderation on social media platforms, and what role algorithms play. Also in this episode:
In this week's episode of ConsEUmer we talk to Young Voices contributor Benjamin Ayanian about the push by Republican lawmakers to get private airlines to disclose information about migrant passengers. Also in this episode:
In this week's episode we're talking to our UK Country Associate, our new colleague Mike Salem, about himself and politics in the UK. Also in this episode:
This week's episode is joined by the CCC's U.S Affairs Analyst Elizabeth Hicks! We're talking about the theft happening in major retail brands through self-checkout counters. Also in this episode: which regulations make sense for online influencers? February 1, 2024 Follow ConsEUmer wherever you get your podcasts: Apple: https://apple.co/2HR4TLTSpotify: https://spoti.fi/3l3GZdxGoogle podcasts: https://bit.ly/3fyyztoDonate: http://consumerchoicecenter.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Solo this week as we keep working on the second season of Fun Police. Still, we have these topics for you this week:
We're coming to you live from Davos, where Consumer Choice Center was a sponsor at the annual Swedish Lunch side-event. You're hearing from guests and the CCC team live from the mountain. Listen to the trailer of Fun Police Season 2 wherever you get your podcasts. January 18, 2024 Follow ConsEUmer wherever you get your podcasts: Apple: https://apple.co/2HR4TLTSpotify: https://spoti.fi/3l3GZdxGoogle podcasts: https://bit.ly/3fyyztoDonate: http://consumerchoicecenter.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Happy new year 2024! We're back, and got these stories this week:
It's the last episode of ConsEUmer until the new year. This episode is co-hosted with Fabio Fernandes, with these issues:
In this week's episode:
LAUNCHING TOMORROW: Fun Police is an original podcast series produced by the Consumer Choice Center. We take a look at the perpetrators of neo-prohibitionism, the movement that attempts to ban "vices" such as vaping, smoking, drinking, gambling, and others. We host high-level guests to discuss the history and current expression of prohibitionism. Written and produced by Bill Wirtz & Yaël Ossowski. New episodes dropping week by week, starting November 15, 2023. Subscribe today: http://spoti.fi/3Mm6nLX http://apple.co/3FE2WN5 https://pod.link/1714265675 https://omny.fm/shows/fun-police/playlists/podcast.rssDonate: http://consumerchoicecenter.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Note: Whoops this episode went up too early (but lucky you in that case!) In this week's episode: ⏲️ Is the time up for gas stoves ? (w/ Stephen Kent)
This week we are talking to Donald Kimball, Communications Manager at the Washington Policy Center and contributor at Young Voices. We talked about net neutrality (what is that anyway?) and why is it so popular with some policy-makers in the United States and in Europe. Follow Donald Kimball on X: https://twitter.com/KimballDonald Start following the Fun Police podcast series ! Now on Spotify and elsewhere, episode first dropping November 15! Don't forget to switch on notifications to never miss an episode. https://open.spotify.com/show/6HthK4fNXa7C88v6PFjsZ3?si=c45030681f9842be November 9, 2023 Follow ConsEUmer wherever you get your podcasts: Apple: https://apple.co/2HR4TLTSpotify: https://spoti.fi/3l3GZdxGoogle podcasts: https://bit.ly/3fyyztoDonate: http://consumerchoicecenter.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In this week's episode we talk about the Australia-EU trade agreement, which failed in negotiations once again. Can the EU overcome its protectionist streak? Also, Bill talks to our new Head of Digital & Innovation Policy Egle Markevičiūtė. Follow Egle on X: https://twitter.com/markeviciute Start following the Fun Police podcast series ! Now on Spotify and elsewhere, episode first dropping November 15! Don't forget to switch on notification to never miss an episode. https://open.spotify.com/show/6HthK4fNXa7C88v6PFjsZ3?si=c45030681f9842be November 2, 2023 Follow ConsEUmer wherever you get your podcasts: Apple: https://apple.co/2HR4TLTSpotify: https://spoti.fi/3l3GZdxGoogle podcasts: https://bit.ly/3fyyztoDonate: http://consumerchoicecenter.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The days are getting shorter, and so are the episodes (temporarily), as we are gearing up for the release of the Fun Police podcast series - our very first Consumer Choice Center original podcast series! This week we're also talking about the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR). Read more about the effects of the legislation here: https://www.euractiv.com/section/energy-environment/news/mcdonalds-warns-eu-packaging-law-will-cause-plastic-surge/ October 26, 2023 Follow ConsEUmer wherever you get your podcasts: Apple: https://apple.co/2HR4TLTSpotify: https://spoti.fi/3l3GZdxGoogle podcasts: https://bit.ly/3fyyztoDonate: http://consumerchoicecenter.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In this week's episode we're talking to Marek Tatała from the Economic Freedom Foundation in Poland about last weekend's Polish parliamentary elections, and the changes that the country will be facing as a result. Follow Marek Tatała on X @MarekTatala. October 19, 2023 Follow ConsEUmer wherever you get your podcasts: Apple: https://apple.co/2HR4TLTSpotify: https://spoti.fi/3l3GZdxGoogle podcasts: https://bit.ly/3fyyztoDonate: http://consumerchoicecenter.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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