Euroconsumers Forum 2026

As geopolitical tensions rise, economic uncertainty grows and technology advances rapidly, we’ll ask a defining question: can Europe turn the collective power of its consumers into a source of strategic strength? And what does that mean for the future of the consumer movement?

Intrigued and eager to hear what ‘Democracy of Demand’ is all about?

For decades, consumer organisations have worked to make markets fairer, more transparent and more accountable. But, as data, algorithms and global value chains reshape our world, the power balanceis steadily shifting. Platforms increasingly influence what we see, what we choose and how we experience the world around us. Empowering consumers today is no longer just about protecting individual choices; it means ensuring that consumers have a meaningful voice in how technology, markets and society are designed, governed and experienced.  

Consumer demand is already being aggregated, predicted and shaped at an unprecedented scale — but largely by those on the supply side. What if consumers could harness their own collective intelligence to shape the markets and technologies that shape their lives? 

At the Euroconsumers Forum 2026, Euroconsumers will introduce its vision of  Democracy of Demand and open it up for debate about what it could mean for Europe’s future. From AI and competitiveness to democratic resilience and Europe’s geopolitical position, the Forum will explore how collective consumer demand and consumer organisations that represent it can become powerful forces for technological, economic and societal change. 

Join us to challenge assumptions, exchange ideas and explore a future in which consumers are not just participants in the market, but active shapers of it.

And this year, we’ll give that idea a rhythm.  

Dance has always been a powerful form of expression – from royal menuets over folk dance toballet – but it was the rise of disco in the 1970s that transformed the dance floor into a space of mass participation where music, technology and culture converged.  As audiences embraced new sounds and ways of expressing themselves, music industry began to respond to their collective demand with the danceable music they were looking for.   

From disco to today’s electronic music, that relationship between demand, influence and participation offers an unexpected lens to look at today’s markets — and the power of people to shape what comes next.  

For the Euroconsumers Forum 2026, dance music becomes more than a soundtrack. It will be a creative thread running through the day, bringing energy, inspiration and fresh perspective to some of Europe’s biggest questions. Join us as we explore what happens when millions of people move to the same beat,consumer demand gets into step and changes the rhythm of markets! 

Europe’s Hidden Super Power: Consumer Demand in an Age of Global Disruption

Europe is home to one of the world’s largest consumer markets and, in today’s fragmented global order, that may be one of its greatest untapped strengths. As economic power depends more and more on data, technology, trade and competition, the collective choices of Europe’s consumers have the potential to influence the region’s resilience and strategic position. 

The big challenge ahead is turning millions of individual choices into coordinated economic and political influence. What will it take to convert that potential into lasting strategic advantage? And what role can consumer organisations play in bringing together consumer demand to shape markets, business decisions and public policy? 

This session explores how aggregated consumer power can strengthen Europe’s economic revival, geopolitical position and democratic grip on reality; and why the future of European competitiveness is inseparable from the future of the European consumer movement. 

From Watchdog to Architect: Designing Consumer-Powered AI

Artificial intelligence has transformed how consumers make decisions, redefining competition and reshaping the relationship between people, technology and business. As Europe works to foster and regulate responsible AI, new technologies continue developing more sophisticated forms of algorithmic decision-making and personalised recommendation.  

Against this backdrop, consumer trust and adoption will increasingly decide which systems succeed, how they evolve and who benefits. AI has the power to organise demand top down and steer choices at unprecedented scale, but it can also empower consumers to identify shared interests, coordinate choices and influence technological development bottom up. Harnessed collectively, consumer demand can become a catalyst for innovation and help ensure tomorrow’s AI development reflects our values and the interest of consumers. 

This session explores how consumers, alongside businesses, policymakers and consumer organisations, can move from overseeing AI to actively shaping its development, so innovation delivers economic value while remaining trustworthy and people-centred.  

Location

Solvay Library in Brussels – Rue Belliard 137 1040 Brussels
The Solvay Library is located in the Parc Léopold, in the heart of Brussels and next to the European Parliament.

How to get there 

By train

The nearest station is ‘Bruxelles Luxembourg’: exit the station and head towards rue Wiertz. Head towards the European Parliament building and pass underneath it (not towards the Place du Luxembourg!). Go down the stairs and turn left. Parc Léopold is on your right. Enter the park and follow the signs to the ‘Bibliothèque Solvay’.

From the ‘Gare du Midi’: by metro: take metro line 6 towards ‘Simonis Elisabeth’ or metro line 2 towards ‘Simonis – Léopold II’. Change at ‘Arts-loi’ and take metro line 1 towards ‘Stockel’ or metro line 5 towards ‘Hermann-Debroux’. Get off at the ‘Maelbeek’ stop and take the ‘Chaussée d’Etterbeek’ exit. Turn right and walk along the Chaussée d’Etterbeek for about 10 minutes. Cross the rue Belliard and follow the signs to the ‘Bibliothèque Solvay’.

By car

The Solvay Library is located in the Parc Léopold, between Place Jourdan, the European Parliament, Rue Belliard and the Museum of Natural Sciences. Traffic and parking are not permitted in the Parc Léopold. Please use the car parks below:

– In the nearby streets (paying) (Chaussée d’Etterbeek, Av.du Maelbeek, Rue Froissart,…)

– Place Jourdan (paying). From here, join the Avenue du Maelbeek. Cross the avenue and enter the Parc Léopold. Then follow the signs for the Bibliothèque Solvay.

– Forte dei Marmi’ car park (paying car park), Avenue du Maelbeek 61. Walk down Avenue du Maelbeek. Parc Léopold is on your left. Enter the park and follow the signs to the Bibliothèque Solvay. The car park is open: Sunday to Thursday: from 07:00 to 22:00 and Friday and Saturday: from 07:00 to 24:00. With a ticket, you can enter and leave the car park 24 hours a day.

– The ‘Interparking Wet/Loi’ car park, Rue de la Loi 19. Under construction. Alternative pedestrian exit: Rue d’Arlon, but +- 12min walk from the Solvay Library.

By metro

The nearest metro station is ‘Maelbeek’ (metro lines 5 and 1). Take the ‘Chaussée d’Etterbeek’ exit. Turn right and walk for 10 minutes along the Chaussée d’Etterbeek. Cross Rue Belliard and enter Park Léopold. Follow the signs to the ‘Bibliothèque Solvay’.

From Brussels International Airport

– By taxi: Allow 20 to 30 minutes for the journey.

– By bus: line 12 or 21 – ‘Schuman’ stop or ‘Luxembourg’ stop (www.stib.be)

– By train: up to 4 trains per hour to Brussels (20 to 30 minutes). Get off at the ‘Gare centrale’ stop. Take metro line 5 towards Hermann-Debroux or metro line 1 towards Stockel. Get off at the ‘Maelbeek’ stop and take the ‘Chaussée d’Etterbeek’ exit (5 minutes from the metro). At the exit, turn right and walk for 5 minutes along the Chaussée d’Etterbeek. Cross the rue Belliard and follow the signs to the Bibliothèque Solvay. The building is located at the top of the Parc Léopold, on your left.