Commissioner Michael McGrath, in a written answer on 14 July 2026, indicated that the European Commission is exploring centralised investigation and enforcement powers at EU level to tackle misleading discounts and hidden fees on online sales platforms, while also considering measures under the forthcoming Digital Fairness Act. The answer responds to a parliamentary question from MEP Dimitris Tsiodras (PPE), who cited a sweep of 314 online platforms in 23 Member States finding that 30% displayed misleading discounts during Black Friday and Cyber Monday, and that 36% of platforms attempted to add items to consumers' baskets without consent.
McGrath stressed that enforcement of consumer protection legislation currently lies with Member States, but the Commission is assessing options to enable Consumer Protection Cooperation (CPC) authorities to act faster and strengthen deterrence, including against traders not established in the EU. He also noted that the Commission is evaluating the need for EU-level centralised powers in specific cases, and is working to improve coordination between CPC enforcement and the Digital Services Act. The answer did not provide concrete legislative timelines or numerical targets, but pointed to the ongoing revision of the CPC Regulation and the Digital Fairness Act as vehicles for potential new rules on misleading practices.
The Commission is leaning toward stronger EU-level enforcement tools and harmonised sanctions, which would shift some authority from national capitals to Brussels. This could benefit consumers by reducing cross-border fraud, but may impose new compliance costs on online retailers, especially smaller platforms. National enforcement agencies would face reduced discretion, while large platforms could face uniform penalties across the EU. The answer signals a gradual move toward centralisation, but stops short of announcing specific proposals.