Homeowners who cannot repay their mortgages could just hand back the keys, US-style, under EU legislation voted for by members of the European Parliament.

Hopes for a US-style class action rule in the EU have been dashed with a very watered-down set of recommendations expected from the European Commission today.

Long-suffering mobile phone users have finally caught a break as an EU- wide cap on roaming charges comes into effect from next month.

Some of the top players at Euro 2012 will be wearing shirts with dangerous levels of chemicals, and similar kits will be on sale to the public, an EU body has warned.

NEW agencies designed to oversee the banking sector and prevent crisis are top-heavy with bankers to the detriment of customers, according to the European consumers’ body, BEUC.

AROUND 100,000 adults in Ireland do not have bank accounts — many of them have been refused on the grounds of being too poor, not having a permanent address, or because of their nationality.

IRISH consumers and businesses will be able to avail of fresh business opportunities after the European Parliament rubber-stamped regulations covering online shopping.

DESPITE increasing worries about obesity, members of the European Parliament have voted to all but hide information about the quantity of salt, sugar and fats in foods.

MEAT and milk from cloned animals can continue to be sold and does not need to be labelled after member states and the European Parliament failed to agree new controls.

Baby bottle manufacturers were urged today to act now to remove from their products a potentially dangerous chemical which will be outlawed from next June.

THE bank deposit guarantee for European savers will be set at €100,000 under European Commission plans unveiled yesterday.

CONSUMER groups have voiced dismay after MEPs rejected the most popular form of food nutrition labelling – a “traffic-light” colour coding system already in wide use.

COMPLAINTS about children’s toys, as well as cars, clothes and electrical items top the list in relation to products sold in Europe, the EU’s annual report on consumer goods found.

CROSS-border direct debits are not secure in the way they are being set up by the banks, the European consumers’ organisation, BEUC, has warned.

GOVERNMENTS will not be able to automatically cut off internet access to users who illegally download copyright material under draft new EU legislation just agreed.

American computer chip giant Intel slammed the European Commission today after being served with a record €1.06bn fine for breaching EU rules on fair competition.

A NEW labelling system for food is in danger of telling consumers a product is good for them when in fact it has too much salt, or sugar or fat, BEUC, the European consumers’ body, warns.

New toy safety standards were approved today, updating 20-year-old rules in the wake of a series of scares last year which forced millions of toys off the shelves across Europe.

MEPs today backed tougher EU-wide safety standards for toys, including a ban on toxic chemicals and stricter standards to limit the risk of choking accidents.

A bid to simplify food labelling rules across Europe will be unveiled by the European Commission tomorrow.