Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection

On 18 February, Members probed the European Commission about its ongoing investigations on e-commerce platforms' compliance with EU laws. The Commission highlighted the role of the Consumer Protection Cooperation (CPC) Network in tackling infringements, highlighting cases against Temu and Shein as key tests of EU enforcement. Concerns with Temu include dark patterns, gamification, and fake reviews, with voluntary commitments expected by year-end. The Shein investigation is at an earlier stage.

The Commission announced that it will withdraw its legislative proposal on AI Liability. The IMCO Committee will therefore adjust its procedural calendar based on the decision of the JURI Committee that leads on this file. In the mean-time, work continues as planned in the IMCO Committee.

On January 28, the IMCO Committee discussed the proposed changes to the Package Travel Directive. The aim is to clarify the rules, especially after the Covid-19 pandemic affected the travel industry and travelers. Committee members shared their thoughts and asked questions to the Commission's representatives. A draft report on the proposal is expected to be presented to the committee on March 17-18. Rapporteur: Alex Agius Saliba (S&D)

On 28 January 2025, the Chair of the Digital Markets Act Working Group (DMA WG), Mr Andreas Schwab, reported to Committee Members on the first meeting of the DMA WG of 16 January 2025. Members engaged in a discussion with the European Commission, who reaffirmed its commitment to a consistent and steady enforcement of DMA. One of the key takeaways is the need to advocate for reinforced staffing within the Commission.

On 28 January 2025, IMCO Members probed representatives from the European Commission, DG Connect, on social media compliance with the Digital Services Act. The Chair of the Working Group (DSA WG), MEP Christel Schaldemose, underscored the need to clarify the DSA’s role in relation to freedom of expression, emphasising that the Act does not harmonise definitions of illegal content but ensures platforms prevent the online spread of conduct that is illegal offline.

On January 27, Members discussed public procurement with the Commission and three external speakers. This discussion contributes to the committee's work on its own-initiative strategic report on public procurement. The report aims to identify the weaknesses of the current public procurement framework and explore how it can be revised to enable public procurement to effectively address the challenges facing the EU. Rapporteur for INI: Piotr MÜLLER (ECR)

The Polish Presidency of the Council presented its program at the IMCO meeting of January 28. The Presidency's priorities include defense and security, resistance to foreign interference and disinformation and ensuring security and freedom of business. The Polish Presidency aims to deepen the Single Market and remove barriers to cross-border activity. It is expected to propose concrete actions to achieve this goal.