During an EU Competitiveness Council meeting today, Luxembourg Minister of Finance, Etienne Schneider, examined proposals for eliminating restrictions on cross-border trade between the group of three countries.

The issue was raised during a parallel conference dedicated to retail trade in Benelux, also attended by Laurent Schonckert, vice-president of the Luxembourg Confederation of Commerce.

The conference highlighted the practice of some producers and their intermediaries of refusing to grant Luxembourg companies free access to the supply networks of their choice, citing territorial supply restrictions. The practice results in significantly higher purchase prices, which are then passed on to consumers.

"I expect that the work in the Benelux will lead to the elimination of the territorial restrictions that many Luxembourg companies face every day. To be competitive and to offer the biggest offer at the best prices, our distributors must be able to get supplies where they are offered the best conditions. Not only within the Benelux but across Europe, “said Minister Schneider.

The Benelux General Secretariat is currently examining a very concrete analysis of this problem in the three countries and, judging by the active participation of dozens of Luxembourg companies in the survey, the problem remains valid.

During the Competitiveness Council, EU economic ministers set forth new rules to facilitate cooperation between national consumer protection authorities, including through joint action to stop illegal behaviour, part of a progression towards the creation of a genuine digital single market.

Ministers emphasised instances of companies failing to respect consumers’ rights to return goods or not fulfilling their obligations on after-sales guarantees. 

"Good coordination between national authorities is essential to boost consumer confidence in e-commerce and cross-border shopping," said Minister Schneider.

The Council also approved the final agreement reached last week with the European Parliament on the regulation on the portability of digital content, allowing consumers to be able to use their subscriptions to digital services, such as music or movies, when traveling across Europe.