On 20-22 April, the Transatlantic Consumer Dialogue (TACD) held its Annual Meeting, bringing together members from across Europe and the United States to discuss shared priorities, strategy, and the future of consumer protection in challenging transatlantic times. Over three days, participants exchanged views on the most urgent policy developments affecting consumers on both sides of the Atlantic, and reaffirmed the importance of a strong, coordinated consumer voice.

The meeting created space for TACD members to reflect on the rapidly changing political and regulatory landscape, including the pressures facing transatlantic cooperation and the need to keep consumer protection at the centre of policy debates. Discussions focused on how the network can continue to advance its work in the years ahead, while defending fair, open, and effective rules that serve consumers and citizens.

A key moment of the meeting was a roundtable with policy-makers on the question: “EU digital laws and their enforcement up for sale in times of transatlantic pressures?” The discussion highlighted the importance of robust enforcement of EU digital rules and the risks of weakening them under external political pressure. Participants examined how to safeguard consumer protection, accountability, and rule-based enforcement in an increasingly contested transatlantic environment.

The Annual Meeting also featured a cocktail reception with opening remarks by MEP Anna Cavazzini, Chair of the Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee (IMCO), underscoring the value consumer organisations bring to people, and of the dialogue between policymakers and civil society in defending consumer interests. The gathering offered an opportunity to continue informal exchanges, strengthen relationships across the TACD network, and build momentum for the work ahead.

Members and experts also met with representatives of the European Commission responsible for product safety for an exchange on common challenges identified on both sides of the Atlantic. The discussion highlighted shared concerns around unsafe products circulating online, the need for stronger market surveillance, and the importance of effective cooperation between authorities to ensure that consumer protections keep pace with fast-moving cross-border trade.

Throughout the meeting, TACD members reaffirmed their commitment to transatlantic cooperation rooted in consumer protection, digital rights, and public interest policymaking. In a period marked by political tensions and mounting pressure on digital regulation, the network remains focused on ensuring that consumer voices are heard clearly in EU-U.S. debates.