The ConsEUmer Podcast

<p>The ConsEUmer Podcast is a weekly program that covers the news & politics of the European Union and its member states.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>Stay tuned for exclusive interviews with policy-makers and experts, hosted by our Senior Policy Analyst Bill Wirtz.</p>

EP190: Foodflation, Shein ban, and the forgotten conference (w/ Michael Landl)

In this week's episode: Foodflation in France shows the difficulties of sustainable food production Can the French government ban Shein? The COP/FCTC conference is kicking off soon, Michael Landl joins us to explain Find out more about the World Vapers Alliance on their website: https://worldvapersalliance.com/ November 13, 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.

11-13
25:29

EP189: Corporate sustainability (co-hosted w/ Yaël Ossowski)

What is the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and why are you yawning while reading about it? With Yaël Ossowski we dive deep into ESG reporting this week, and what it means for energy policy and consumers. November 6, 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.

11-06
34:17

EP188: Dutch election & Chat control halt

Short solo episode this week, with some news updates. October 30, 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.

10-30
08:13

EP187: Mercosur finals & Social media ban for kids? (co-hosted w/ Fabio Fernandes)

Fabio is back to co-hosting with Bill. In this episode we're discussing the finishing line for the EU-Mercosur free trade agreement, as well as the push by Brussels to age-gate social media platforms. October 23, 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.

10-23
31:50

EP186: Good and bad travel news & pouch constraints (w/ Juan Taborcía)

More liquid allowance and carry-on bags, there's good and bad news for air passengers in Europe. Also, Juan Taborcía from Considerate Pouchers to talk about threats to nicotine alternatives out of both France and the European Union. October 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.

10-16
26:00

EP185: Tariffs are taxes & weed on the move (co-hosted w/ Liz Hicks)

We're really tired of Trump's tariffs by now, but at least there's news out of the U.S signalling changes to the scheduling of cannabis. Elizabeth Hicks joins us to discuss it all. October 9, 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.

10-09
30:25

EP184: We're back ! With housing crisis and digital IDs (co-hosted w/ Mike Salem)

The ConsEUmer podcast is back after a long break. Unfortunately bad policy persists, so in this week's episode we're bringing on CCC UK Policy Associate Mike Salem to discuss the EU's housing policy plan as well as the UK government's proposal to introduce digital ID. October 2, 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.

10-02
31:01

Introducing: Control Freaks

This is the trailer for the new Consumer Choice Center original podcast series Control Freaks, a show about people who seek to tell consumers what to do. Season 1 will cover Robert F. Kennedy Jr, the Secretary of Health and Human Services in the Trump administration. Episode 1 is already streaming. Subscribe now and hit the notification bell so you don't miss upcoming episodes ! Subscribe to Control Freaks wherever you are listening to ConsEUmer.Donate: http://consumerchoicecenter.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

07-24
01:29

EP183: Funny Haribo, Airline compensation, and Flixtrains

In this week's solo episode: some of Haribo's cola candy in the Netherlands contains... cannabis, the airline compensation review is dragging on, and Flixtrain expands its network in Europe. May 29, 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.

05-29
14:43

EP182: To repair or not to repair & Processed foods (co-hosted w/ Fabio Fernandes)

Should you get the extended warranty on a new MacBook? Fabio Fernandes joins the podcast this week to discuss how to handle your electronics. Also: are highly processed foods bad for you? May 15, 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.

05-15
37:07

EP181: Online sports betting (w/ Justin Leventhal & Emil Panzaru)

In this week's episode, Justin Leventhal, Senior Policy Analyst at the American Consumer Institute and our own Research Manager Emil Panzaru join us to discuss sports betting regulation and implications in both Europe and the United States. May 1, 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.

05-01
34:27

EP180: Canada votes, Bike helmets, and NGO funding (co-hosted w/ Yaël Ossowski)

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.

04-24
37:14

EP179: Tired of winning yet? (co-hosted w/ Liz Hicks)

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.

04-17
29:30

Announcing Season 3 of Fun Police

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.

02-25
01:23

EP178: The common charger is here & Meta reverses content moderation policy (co-hosted w/ Fabio Fernandes)

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.

01-16
38:51

EP177: Even higher taxes on flights, Keep cash at home, Legal weed in NL

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.

12-19
11:25

EP176: Sharing Economy Index 2024 (w/ Emil Panzaru)

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.

12-05
18:01

EP175: French pouches ban & Mercosur trade woes (co-hosted w/ Yaël Ossowski)

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.

11-28
25:54

EP174: Lisbon bans night flights, Tech news, and Trump's potential tariffs (w/ Pieter Cleppe)

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.

11-14
37:09

EP173: Trump's tariffs, Car ban reversal, and Varhelyi's hell

Solo for this week's episode, but with these stories: 🇺🇸 Trump's election breeds bad news for EU-US trade ⛐ 2035 car ban might go off-road 🇭🇺 Hungary's Commissioner pick facing opposition November 7, 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.

11-07
13:11

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