The ECC-Net provides services to consumers. They focus on business–to–consumer problems when citizens shop cross-border either in person or via distance purchase (mainly e-commerce). The ECC-Net:

• Provides information on both EU and national consumer protection rules.
• Gives advice to customers facing a consumer related cross-border problem
  and support them in contacting the trader to reach an amicable solution.
• Helps consumers whose complaints are not solved amicably with the trader
  to reach an agreement via out-of-court dispute resolution mechanism
  (Alternative Dispute Resolution – ADR),  and/or informs them about other possible ways such as the European Small Claims Procedure.
• Co-operates with other EU-wide networks, such as the FIN-NET, SOLVIT  and the EJN (European Judicial Network) in civil and commercial matters.
• Provides valuable input for the European Commission on consumer policy
  issues.

What problems can ECCs help with?

ECCs deal with cross-border problems between a consumer and a trader. They
cover consumer related issues such as air and rail transport, package holidays,
timeshare, e-commerce issues, non-delivered or defective goods, unfair commercial
practices, etc.

What problems can't the ECC-Net help with?

ECCs cannot help in business to business issues or if there is no cross-border
element involved (national cases). ECCs cannot deal with a case if the other
party is a governmental structure (ministry, national agency, etc). ECCs do not
have enforcement powers, therefore they cannot sanction the trader, neither
can they represent consumers before court or an ADR.

How does ECC-Net work?

If a consumer has a problem with a trader situated in another country, he first
needs to contact the trader himself in order to find a solution. If a solution
cannot be found, the consumer may contact the ECC in his country. The ECC in
the consumer’s country will liaise with the ECC in the country where the trader
is located, then the ECC of the trader’s country who knows the national rules
contacts the trader in order to reach an amicable solution. The involvement of
the ECC-Net considerably increases the chances of the consumer obtaining a
result according to its rights and also helps in overcoming the language barriers
consumers’ face when trying to get in contact with the trader.
Where an ECCs’ intervention does not lead to an amicable solution with the
trader, ECCs will, as much as possible, advise consumers the appropriate
national ADR bodies and/or propose other possibilities to solve their problems
(such as the European Small Claims Procedure) so as to try to avoid the lengthy
and costly normal court procedures.

Find your ECC below: 

Belgien (Bryssel)
Bulgarien (Sofia)
Cypern (Nicosia)
Danmark (Köpenhamn)
Estland (Tallinn)
Finland (Helsingfors)
Frankrike (Kehl i Tyskland)
Grekland (Athen)
Irland (Dublin)
Island (Reykjavik)
Italien (Bolzano och Rom)
Lettland (Riga)
Litauen (Vilnius)
Luxemburg (Luxemburg)
Malta (Valetta)
Nederländerna (AL Utrecht)
Norge (Oslo)
Polen (Warszawa)
Portugal (Lissabon)
Rumänien (Bukarest)
Slovakien (Bratislava)
Slovenien (Ljubljana)
Spanien (Barcelona och Madrid)
Storbritannien (Basildon)
Tjeckien (Prag)
Tyskland (Kehl)
Ungern (Budapest)
Österrike (Wien)