Shows / The ConsEUmer Podcast
The ConsEUmer Podcast
The ConsEUmer Podcast is a weekly program that covers the news & politics of the European Union and its member states.
Produced by the Consumer Choice Center, we focus on consumer issues such as free trade, science-based policy-making, product safety, and privacy — but we won't shy away from commentary on the day to day of the European Union's institutions.
Stay tuned for exclusive interviews with policy-makers and experts, hosted by our Senior Policy Analyst Bill Wirtz.
Episodes
The ConsEUmer PodcastEP208: Eurotrash visits America (w/ Liz Hayes)
What is the right way to go about recycling, and why does a bottle deposit system slash tires in Germany? Liz Hayes joins the podcast to talk about trash…
The ConsEUmer PodcastEP207: Brazil's voting (w/ Fabio Fernandes)
We're talking about Brazil's election today: what are the political preferences in the country, and what could the upcoming runoff vote mean for international…
The ConsEUmer PodcastEP206: The smartest fridges (w/ Fabio Fernandes)
The innovative consumer goods expo in Berlin displays how far household appliances can go. Fabio Fernandes and Bill Wirtz discuss it in the latest episode of…
The ConsEUmer PodcastEP205: Carry-on rules (w/ Gary Leff)
The EU is mandating a carry-on bag to be included for all airline tickets sold in the EU. But is this really the priority we should be talking about? Gary Leff…
The ConsEUmer PodcastEP204: Tickets please (w/ David Clement)
Should the price of a resold ticket be capped? David Clement joins us from Canada to tell us more about the economics of the ticket resale controversy. July 9…
The ConsEUmer PodcastEP203: Europe’s air-conditioning debate (w/ Liz Hayes)
The ConsEUmer podcast is back after a break, and we're burning up here in Europe. Liz Hayes joins us to break down the European air-conditioning debate. How…
The ConsEUmer PodcastEP202: Italian price bonanza (w/ Carlo Stagnaro)
Carlo Stagnaro explains on the ConsEUmer podcast how Italy has built a very complicated system to reduce consumer energy prices, and why he doesn't think it'll…
The ConsEUmer PodcastEP201: Europe's tech renaissance (w/ François Bitouzet)
This week, we're joined by the Managing Director of VivaTech to discuss Europe's tech future. While are talking Europe down, he is talking it up, and giving us…
The ConsEUmer PodcastKész Files w/ Zoltan Kész - Housing in Spain
In this episode of Kesz Files, Zoltan Kesz explores why renting in Spain has become so difficult. From strict tenant requirements to rent control, regulation…
The ConsEUmer PodcastEP200: The Big Beautiful Energy Crisis (w/ Liz Hayes, Yaël Ossowski & Fabio Fernandes)
All hands on deck for the 200th episode of the ConsEUmer podcast this week. The Big Beautiful Energy Crisis that is affecting us all... maybe Liz has some…
The ConsEUmer PodcastKész Files w/ Zoltan Kész
In this special episode, we're joined by Zoltán Kész: economist, activist, and former member of the Hungarian parliament, ahead of Hungary's…
The ConsEUmer PodcastEP199: Ticket shortage (w/ Fabio Fernandes)
In this week's episode, Fabio Fernandes joins us to talk about the latest news in tech gadgets, and about the call by Members of the European Parliament to act…
The ConsEUmer PodcastEP198: Greek taxi clash (w/ Nicos Rompapas)
The President of KEFIM joins us from Athens this week to lay out the details of the government's taxi reform, and where he thinks leaders should go much…
The ConsEUmer PodcastEP197: Liberal housing solutions (w/ Dr. Antonios Nestoras)
This week we are joined by Dr. Antonios Nestoras from EPIC. He is the editor on a European Liberal Forum paper on liberal housing policy. What could help…
The ConsEUmer PodcastEP196: Keeping digital hygiene (w/ Yaël Ossowski)
Yaël Ossowski discusses the latest contoversies surrounding encrypted messaging and keeping good digital hygiene in the latest episode of the ConsEUmer…
The ConsEUmer PodcastEP195: Hungary's presidential election (w/ Zoltán Kész)
In the latest episode of the ConsEUmer podcast, Zoltán Kész and Bill Wirtz discuss the implications of the upcoming elections in Hungary. N.B…
The ConsEUmer PodcastEP194: Delivery fees (w/ Mike Salem)
In the latest episode of the ConsEUmer podcast, Bill Wirtz and Mike Salem tackle the conversation surrounding courier services around the world. What are our…
The ConsEUmer PodcastEP193: Where does public transit make sense? (w/ Liz Hayes)
Liz Hayes joins us this week to zoom out and discuss our daily commute. Where does public transit make sense, and what are the key differences between Europe…
The ConsEUmer PodcastEP192: Italian food politics (w/ Fabio Fernandes)
Fabio Fernandes joins us on the ConsEUmer podcast this week to discuss a Politico article about Italian "gastronationalism". The full article…
The ConsEUmer PodcastEP191: UK budget meltdown (w/ Mike Salem)
CCC UK Country Associate Mike Salem is joining us this week to discuss the UK budget and its implication for consumers. December 4, 2025 Follow ConsEUmer…
The ConsEUmer PodcastEP190: Foodflation, Shein ban, and the forgotten conference (w/ Michael Landl)
In this week's episode: Foodflation in France shows the difficulties of sustainable food production Can the French government ban Shein? The COP/FCTC…
The ConsEUmer PodcastEP189: Corporate sustainability (co-hosted w/ Yaël Ossowski)
What is the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and why are you yawning while reading about it? With Yaël Ossowski we dive deep into ESG…
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EP188: Dutch election & Chat control halt
Short solo episode this week, with some news updates. October 30, 2025 Follow ConsEUmer wherever you get your podcasts: Apple: https://apple.co/2HR4TLT…
The ConsEUmer PodcastEP187: Mercosur finals & Social media ban for kids? (co-hosted w/ Fabio Fernandes)
Fabio is back to co-hosting with Bill. In this episode we're discussing the finishing line for the EU-Mercosur free trade agreement, as well as the push by…
The ConsEUmer PodcastEP186: Good and bad travel news & pouch constraints (w/ Juan Taborcía)
More liquid allowance and carry-on bags, there's good and bad news for air passengers in Europe. Also, Juan Taborcía from Considerate Pouchers to talk…
The ConsEUmer PodcastEP185: Tariffs are taxes & weed on the move (co-hosted w/ Liz Hicks)
We're really tired of Trump's tariffs by now, but at least there's news out of the U.S signalling changes to the scheduling of cannabis. Elizabeth Hicks joins…
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EP184: We're back ! With housing crisis and digital IDs (co-hosted w/ Mike Salem)
The ConsEUmer podcast is back after a long break. Unfortunately bad policy persists, so in this week's episode we're bringing on CCC UK Policy Associate Mike…
The ConsEUmer PodcastIntroducing: Control Freaks
This is the trailer for the new Consumer Choice Center original podcast series Control Freaks, a show about people who seek to tell consumers what to do…
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EP183: Funny Haribo, Airline compensation, and Flixtrains
In this week's solo episode: some of Haribo's cola candy in the Netherlands contains... cannabis, the airline compensation review is dragging on, and Flixtrain…
The ConsEUmer PodcastEP182: To repair or not to repair & Processed foods (co-hosted w/ Fabio Fernandes)
Should you get the extended warranty on a new MacBook? Fabio Fernandes joins the podcast this week to discuss how to handle your electronics. Also: are highly…
The ConsEUmer PodcastEP181: Online sports betting (w/ Justin Leventhal & Emil Panzaru)
In this week's episode, Justin Leventhal, Senior Policy Analyst at the American Consumer Institute and our own Research Manager Emil Panzaru join us to discuss…
The ConsEUmer PodcastEP180: Canada votes, Bike helmets, and NGO funding (co-hosted w/ Yaël Ossowski)
Yaël Ossowski joins the podcast this week to give us a rundown on the upcoming federal election in Canada, discuss mandatory bike helmets in the…
The ConsEUmer PodcastEP179: Tired of winning yet? (co-hosted w/ Liz Hicks)
This week's episode is co-hosted with our own Elizabeth Hicks, and we can't help but notice that after our long break, the world of international trade got a…
The ConsEUmer PodcastAnnouncing Season 3 of Fun Police
There will be a new season of the Fun Police podcast, which is why there haven't been new episodes of this podcast as of late. Please go over to the "Fun…
The ConsEUmer PodcastEP178: The common charger is here & Meta reverses content moderation policy (co-hosted w/ Fabio Fernandes)
This week's episode is co-hosted with Fabio Fernandes. We talk about the introduction of the common charger (USB-C) in the European Union. We also discuss the…
The ConsEUmer PodcastEP177: Even higher taxes on flights, Keep cash at home, Legal weed in NL
Merry Christmas ! Thank for listening to this podcast in 2024, and we'll be back with new episodes in the coming year. These topics in this episode: &ndash…
The ConsEUmer PodcastEP176: Sharing Economy Index 2024 (w/ Emil Panzaru)
CCC Research Manager Emil Panzaru joins us on this episode to discuss the latest Sharing Economy Index and how they got to their findings. Check out the report…
The ConsEUmer PodcastEP175: French pouches ban & Mercosur trade woes (co-hosted w/ Yaël Ossowski)
Yaël Ossowski is co-hosting this week's episode. We're talking about the French government getting its priorities wrong by planning on banning nicotine…
The ConsEUmer PodcastEP174: Lisbon bans night flights, Tech news, and Trump's potential tariffs (w/ Pieter Cleppe)
Pieter Cleppe joins us this week to discuss the potential incoming tariffs under the Trump administration. Also, my colleague Egle joins us to lay out the…
The ConsEUmer PodcastEP173: Trump's tariffs, Car ban reversal, and Varhelyi's hell
Solo for this week's episode, but with these stories: 🇺🇸 Trump's election breeds bad news for EU-US trade ⛐ 2035 car ban might go off-road 🇭🇺 Hungary's…
The ConsEUmer PodcastEP172: Infinite scroll & Airbnb's future (co-hosted w/ Fabio Fernandes)
In this week's episode of the ConsEUmer podcast, Fabio Fernandes and Bill Wirtz discuss the future of Airbnb, as well as pending regulations on auto-play and…
The ConsEUmer PodcastEP171: Sausage fight, Czech goes super on trains, and Google your breakup (w/ Donald Kimball)
In this week's episode, Donald Kimball from the Washington Policy Center ** mistakenly said institute on the recording, apologies **, joins us to discuss what…
The ConsEUmer PodcastEP170: Message screening, Paris speed limit, and EU Commissioning
Going solo in this week's episodes, where I'll tell you more about the procedures establishing the next European Commission. Also in this episode: the…
The ConsEUmer PodcastEP169: The price isn't right (co-hosted w/ Elizabeth Hicks)
This week's episode is co-hosted with the CCC's U.S Affairs Analyst Elizabeth Hicks. We talk about the U.S presidential election, and the latest proposals by…
The ConsEUmer PodcastEP168: Draghi's report & iPhone 16 features (co-hosted w/ Fabio Fernandes)
This week's episode is co-hosted with Fabio Fernandes. We talk about the competitiveness and innovation report by former Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi…
The ConsEUmer PodcastEP167: Dropshipping under fire, Brazil's X ban, and Chinese EV tariffs (w/ Matthias Bauer)
We're back from our summer break ! In this week's episode: dropshipping companies are under fire by a Dutch consumer watchdog, Brazil has banned the use of the…
The ConsEUmer PodcastEP166: Beer sales down in NL, Germany alone against EV tariffs, and The gene-editing pendulum (w/ Amrit Nanda)
In this last episode before the summer break, we address falling beer sales in the Netherlands, and the ongoing Council battle of tariffs on Chinese electric…
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EP165: Thank you for supporting us !
A brief hello this week. No regular episode. Last one out next week. Hustling before the summer break! July 11, 2024 Follow ConsEUmer wherever you get your…
The ConsEUmer PodcastEP164: Encryption & AI (co-hosted w/ Yaël Ossowski)
Yaël Ossowski joins us this week to discuss the latest regulatory news for end-to-end encryption and artificial intelligence in the European Union. Regulators…
The ConsEUmer PodcastEP163: Barcelona removes Airbnb licenses, Apple facing fines and Ryanair's OTA fight (w/ Dara Brady)
In this week's episode, we discuss the mayor of Barcelona's measure to cut Airbnb licenses, we bring on Yaël Ossowski to explain Apple facing new potential…
The ConsEUmer PodcastEP162: Car tariff debate (w/ Jan Burdinski)
Jan Burdinski is back on the podcast to discuss the most recent decision by the European Commission to consider tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles. Follow…
The ConsEUmer PodcastEP161: False discounts, Swiss ECHR backlash, and European elections 2024 (w/ Pieter Cleppe)
Pieter Cleppe joins us on this week's episode to discuss the European elections that happened last week. Also in this episode: online retailers face fines in…
The ConsEUmer PodcastEP160: VPNs & Spatial computing (co-hosted with Chad Swarthout)
This week's episode is co-hosted with CCC board member Chad Swarthout, who joins us to discuss his views on the use of Virtual Private Networks (VPN) and the…
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EP159: Paris hotel drops and European elections
Due to last minute changes, no guest this week, but a short episode with two news stories regardless: Paris faces Airbnb prices and hotels during the Olympics…
The ConsEUmer PodcastEP158: New Dutch government, EU Tech Loop, and Georgia's Future (w/ Adam Bartha)
In this episode we talk about the incoming Dutch government, a new CCC project in Europe called EU Tech Loop, and we host EPICENTER Director Adam Bartha to…
The ConsEUmer PodcastEP157: Battery health & AI UBI (co-hosted w/ Fabio Fernandes)
Fabio Fernandes is helping us unpack the latest tech news this week. We're talking about why your iPhone's battery is draining way too quickly, and what we…
The ConsEUmer PodcastEP156: Florida's meat culture war & Fake reviews (co-hosted with Liz Hicks)
Today's episode is co-hosted with the CCC's US Affairs Analyst Elizabeth Hicks! We're talking about Florida's ban on alternative meat products, and a UK law…
The ConsEUmer PodcastEP155: Berlin calling, Meta under fire, and Bulgaria's gambling ban
This week I have some audio from last weekend's FDP party convention in Berlin, as well as stories about probes in Meta for disinformation tracking, and…
The ConsEUmer PodcastEP154: Lower phone bills, quick scanner, and the end of the Green Deal
Going solo again this week, with no guest, but in turn I do have these stories for you: 📱 The EU wants to lower your phone bills, but can it really? 🛫…
The ConsEUmer PodcastEP153: French Meat battle continues, Poland's silly ride-sharing law, and dangerous Maltese buses
Going solo again this week, with no guest, but in turn I do have these stories for you: 🥩 French court suspends the ban on meat names for alternative products…