Building a Sustainable Future: Actionable Recommendations from the European Parliament

Empowering Young Consumers: The Need for Consumer Education in European School Curricula

As the world becomes increasingly digital and interconnected, the importance of equipping young people with the knowledge and skills to make informed consumer decisions cannot be overstated. Tiziana Toto, Head of National Consumer Policies, and Mariano Votta, Responsible for EU Affairs at Cittadinanzattiva APS, recently discussed recommendations to embed consumer education in European school curricula.

One of the key recommendations is to integrate consumer rights into existing civic education, digital skills, sustainability, and financial literacy programmes. This integration should go beyond short-term projects by securing multi-annual funding and providing accredited teacher training. Additionally, establishing a common European framework for consumer competences, aligned with DigComp and GreenComp, is crucial. Recognizing civic associations, such as student organizations and consumer groups, as strategic educational partners can bring real-world case studies and methodological support into classrooms.

These recommendations were presented at the European Parliament during the event “Consumer Education in School Curricula: Challenges, Lessons Learned and Policy Recommendations.”

Cinzia Pollio, Project Coordination for Consumer Policies at Cittadinanzattiva, emphasized the need for ongoing consumer literacy education to complement regulations aimed at protecting minors online. Regulation alone is not sufficient to foster resilient digital citizens and responsible consumers.

The event marked the final milestone of the CoRe project, co-funded by the European Union through the Single Market Programme. The project, coordinated by Cittadinanzattiva in partnership with consumer associations EEKE (Greece) and InfoCons (Romania), aimed to promote consumer education in schools.

The Position Paper presented during the event highlighted the results of the Italian pilot program, which demonstrated the effectiveness of a practical, participatory approach to consumer education. The pilot showed an increase in knowledge of consumer rights and digital risks among teachers, students, and parents. It also highlighted the importance of engaging students in understanding their rights and responsibilities as consumers.

Testimonies from the School Community

Teachers and students involved in the project shared their perspectives on the impact of consumer education in schools. They emphasized the importance of integrating consumer education into school curricula to help students become responsible, conscious citizens.

Representatives from the European Commission, the European Consumer Union, and the communications sector stressed the significance of digital literacy in protecting young consumers. They highlighted the need for educational initiatives tailored to specific needs and emphasized the role of education in complementing regulatory measures.

Advocating for Long-Term Educational Partnerships

Carmelo Benenti, President of the European Consumer Union, called for consumer associations to be recognized as long-term educational partners. He emphasized the importance of funding programmes that promote consumer education and advocated for including a stable funding line for consumer education in future policy decisions.

For more information on the Position Paper and CoRe project materials, visit the Cittadinanzattiva website.