At the 172nd plenary session of the European Committee of the Regions, held on 1 and 2 July 2026, the opinion on the 2030 Consumer Agenda was adopted. The adopted text states that small-scale and locally embedded production must not be treated on equal footing with large-scale industrial production when it comes to administrative compliance obligations.
This decision matters for every region in Europe where people’s lives are shaped by local producers, artisan enterprises, short supply chains and strong community identity.
What the Adopted Text Actually Changes?
The opinion introduces four concrete policy directions that represent genuine progress for place-based approaches to consumer policy:
A proportionality test. All new EU consumer legislation must include a proportionality assessment to prevent disproportionate compliance burdens falling on small local producers and artisanal operators.
Recognition of local and regional quality labels. Local and regional quality marks can be recognised and promoted within the single market, provided that claims are verifiable and not misleading, and that certification requirements remain accessible to small and micro-producers.
Short supply chains in the circular economy. Local products, community markets and short supply chains are practical instruments of sustainable consumption. Their regulatory framework must be simplified not complicated.
Simplification as principle. Administrative simplification for local producers is not an exception to be negotiated case by case. It is an explicit expectation embedded in future EU legislation.
Why This Matters for EU Policy?
The 2030 Consumer Agenda covers the single market, digital fairness, sustainable consumption and enforcement. It sets the strategic direction for EU consumer policy for the next five years. The CoR opinion now forms part of the institutional record that the European Commission, the Council and the European Parliament will consult as they develop legislative proposals.
Short supply chains reduce transport emissions and climate impact. Local quality labels build consumer trust based on verifiable, community-held knowledge. Artisan and small-scale producers already operate in transparent, traceable and safe conditions. Imposing industrial-scale compliance requirements on them does not improve safety. It destroys value.
The future of the single market is not efficiency alone. It is also diversity, identity and the living communities behind every local product.
What comes next?
The European Commission is expected to table legislative proposals by the end of 2026, including a Digital Fairness Act and a review of the consumer protection cooperation framework. The adopted CoR opinion will serve as a reference document in these processes.
Local and regional authorities across Europe now have a firm institutional foundation to argue that EU rules must be workable for small local producers, not just for large industrial actors. The next step is to ensure this principle is embedded in every legislative proposal that follows.