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objective to inform consumers about the opportunities of the
European Single Market and about their rights as consumers in Europe. Moreover, the Euroguichets helped consumers encountering problems with cross-border transactions. The Euroguichets also acted as interfaces between consumers and the European Commission. The European Consumer Centres Network took over the duties of both organisations: It helps consumers to solve cross-border disputes and informs them about their rights in Europe.
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and national governments. As a result of the enlargement of the
European Union, the ECC-Net has expanded to include: Bulgaria and Romania in 2007, and Croatia in 2013. Today, there are 29 European Consumer Centres: 27 in the EU Member States, one in Norway, one in Iceland. The ECC-Net originated from
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A Spanish consumer orders a smartphone from an
Italian trader. The smartphone arrives but it does not work properly: the consumer contacts the trader but is left without a reply. He promptly calls his national ECC, in this case the ECC Spain for further assistance. ECC Spain shares the case with ECC
236:
An effective
European consumer policy aims at safeguarding consumer's rights through legislation: this includes offering help and advice in order to solve disputes with traders based in another EU-country, Iceland or Norway in an amicable way. Well-informed consumers may take full advantage of the
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The
European Consumer Centres Network receives more than 120.000 requests from consumers each year. More than 650.000 people contacted the ECC-Net during the first ten years. Nearly 300.000 reported problems with a trader, contacted the ECC-Net for assistance and filed a complaint. The remaining
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The
European Consumer Centres Network was established to provide consumers with clear information about their rights and to assist them to effectively solving a consumer issue; this improves consumers' confidence in the European Single Market and helps to enforce economic potential for growth.
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and national governments aiming to protect consumer rights and ensure that every EU citizen may take full advantage of the
European Single Market. Depending on the formal structure some ECCs are hosted by non-governmental organizations (NGOs), governmental bodies, or independent organizations.
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The EEJ-Net was established in 2001 to help consumers to solve cross-border disputes with traders providing defective goods and services, by guiding them to alternative dispute resolution mechanisms (ADR). The
Euroguichets were founded in 1992 at the European Commission's initiative with the
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and also regarding cross-border consumer topics, such as travel, various services, and the purchase of goods and services. The ECC-Net is staffed by legal experts who assist consumers free of charge to solve any dispute that may arise with enterprises based in another EU country,
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Given the rapid increase in online consumerism, the role of the ECC-Net in solving cross-border e-commercial disputes - without going to court - has grown substantially. Therefore, the role of the ECC-Net will continue to expand in regards to the
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350.000 requested consumer information. For example: in 2015, 93.964 consumers contacted the ECC-Net in total, 55.916 requested information, and 38.048 issued complaints, showing the development of contacts and complaints from 2005 until 2015.
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If the problem cannot be solved, the consumer may call the ECC of this home-country ("national ECC") for help. The national ECC may be contacted by mail, online form, by phone, and occasionally in person. See below: List of national
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More than two thirds of disputes are solved in favor of the consumer. If no solution can be found, the ECCs help consumers to find an appropriate
Alternative Dispute Resolution body or inform them about other possibilities, e. g.
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co-operates with other EU-wide networks, such as the
Consumer Protection Cooperation Network, the Europe Direct, the Financial Dispute Resolution Network (FIN-Net), SOLVIT and the European Judicial Network on civil and commercial
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launched an application for mobile phones: ECC-Net Travel helps consumers to use their rights while traveling in the EU, Norway or Iceland. The app is available in 25 languages,
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two former existing consumer information and protection networks: The Network for the extrajudicial settlement of consumer disputes (EEJ-Net) and the Euroguichet Network.
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conducts surveys on topics related to consumer rights and consumer's experiences with EU legislation in order to identify gaps and emerging issues,
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The consumer must be confronted by a cross-border issue, that means a dispute with a trader based in another EU country, Norway or Iceland.
691:
524:
404:
648:
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publishes reports and studies, such as purchasing a vehicle or time-share, guarantees and warranties, and online-shopping,
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helps consumers who have issues with traders based in another EU country, Iceland or Norway to find an amicable solution,
686:
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Additionally, the ECCs cannot represent the consumer in court nor enforce the law to apply sanctions on traders.
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The consumer must have contacted the trader directly, or made such an attempt, in order to solve the problem.
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The European Consumer Centers Network, Annual Reports, Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union
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Approximately 140 lawyers and juridical experts work for the European Consumer Centres Network in total.
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informs consumers about popular cross-border topics, e.g. travel, online-shopping, and internet fraud,
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through lower prices, better conditions, and a wider range of products, both online and in person.
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Italy. ECC Italy contacts the trader, the conflict is resolved and the consumer is reimbursed.
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40:. ECCs provide consumers with information about the opportunities and risks of the
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The European Consumer Centres Network was established in January 2005 by the
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369:"Network for the extra-judicial settlement of consumer disputes (EEJ-Net)"
492:"The European Consumer Centres Network: Anniversary Report 2005 - 2015"
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All services provided by the ECC-Net are free of charge for consumers.
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The national ECC shares the case with the ECC of the trader's country.
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397:"ECC-Net launches new mobile app to aid consumers travelling abroad"
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problems concerning a governmental body (ministry, national agency),
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The trader's ECC contacts the trader to find an amicable solution.
24:) is an EU-wide network. There is a national contact point called
475:"European Judicial Network on civil and commercial matters"
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486:
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228:For further statistics, see ECC-Net publications.
447:"Financial Dispute Resolution Network (FIN-Net)"
112:with full knowledge of their rights and duties,
341:"European Consumer Centres Network (ECC-Net)"
187:solve business-to-business or private issues,
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108:enables consumers to take advantage of the
563:"Consumers: What the Commission is doing"
419:"Consumer Protection Cooperation Network"
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83:The European Consumer Centres Network:
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592:"European Consumer Centres Network"
518:"38.048 issued complaints: diagram"
53:. The ECCs are co-financed by the
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682:Organizations established in 2005
18:European Consumer Centres Network
401:European Consumer Centre Ireland
677:Agencies of the European Union
251:European Digital Single Market
1:
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147:How does the ECC-Net help?
92:consumer rights in Europe
692:Consumer rights agencies
632:"Contact Your Local ECC"
224:26 languages are spoken.
182:The ECC-Net cannot help:
26:European Consumer Centre
542:"ECC-Net publications"
270:https://www.eccnet.eu/
239:European Single Market
178:to solve the problem.
176:European Payment Order
110:European Single Market
100:Rail Passengers Rights
42:European Single Market
172:Small Claim Procedure
96:Air Passengers Rights
687:European Commission
614:European Commission
609:"How ECC Net works"
567:European Commission
314:European Commission
287:European Commission
282:"How ECC Net works"
102:, legal warranties,
90:provides advice on
68:European Commission
55:European Commission
28:(ECC) in all 27 EU
649:"ECC-Net in 2022"
309:"Contact ECC Net"
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30:Member States
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655:. Retrieved
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201:Statistics
671:Categories
663:(Archived)
386:(Archived)
358:(Archived)
257:References
232:Background
138:An example
79:Activities
133:Operation
657:22 April
637:22 April
620:22 April
597:22 April
572:22 April
547:22 April
461:"SOLVIT"
380:22 April
352:22 April
320:22 April
293:22 April
125:matters.
94:, e. g.
374:EUR-Lex
346:EUR-Lex
62:History
51:Iceland
34:Iceland
22:ECC-Net
205:": -->
47:Norway
38:Norway
652:(PDF)
528:(PDF)
521:(PDF)
495:(PDF)
159:ECCs.
49:, or
659:2023
639:2023
622:2023
599:2023
574:2023
549:2023
382:2023
354:2023
322:2023
295:2023
207:edit
36:and
16:The
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.