One Label, One Market: Simplifying EU Rules for Consumers
On 27 January 2026, the IMCO Committee held an exchange of views on “Labelling requirements: How to overcome fragmentation of the Single Market to the benefit of consumers”. The discussion examined the impact of divergent national rules on product labelling, packaging and recycling. Participants highlighted compliance challenges for businesses, barriers to cross-border trade and implications for consumer information within the framework of the Single Market.
The Commission identified fragmented national requirements as a major source of market disruption, as reflected in its 2025 Single Market Strategy. It underlined the need to balance clear consumer information with reduced regulatory burdens and referred to forthcoming initiatives, including the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation and the revision of textile labelling rules.
EUROPEN described the current regulatory landscape as a "labelling maze", leading to higher production and logistics costs and multiple packaging versions. It argued that unilateral national measures weaken market efficiency and undermine the consumer experience.
ECOS supported EU-level harmonisation while stressing the need for mandatory, accessible on-product information. It called for common pictograms and cautioned against overreliance on digital labelling. MEPs echoed these concerns, emphasising simple, clear physical labels and warning against excessive complexity and exclusive dependence on QR codes.