Consumer´s interest and the EU: a framework for analysis, with evidence from the Italian case (2012:14epa)
How is consumer interest representation, at both national and EU level, affected by European integration? How can the consumers´ influence in Europe be strengthened, and to what extent is it facilitated by the EU consumer policy? Finally, do the developments at national level affect the consumers’ political participation at the EU level? In this analysis, Paolo Graziano examines the EU consumers’ strategy with regard to its capacity to increase the role of consumers in the domestic and EU decision making. He illustrates the evolution of consumer interest groups both in the EU and nationally, looking specifically at the case of Italy.
This contribution is part of a larger initiative analysing current developments in the EU consumer policy, which has been undertaken under the SIEPS research project Social Europe.