About European Consumer Centres Network (ECC-Net)

The network of European Consumer Centres (ECC-Net) serves EU consumers shopping for goods and services on the European market, providing them with advice on their EU consumer rights and helping them with their disputes with traders in other EU countries

Key facts about ECC-Net:

• There is a European Consumer Centre in 29 countries - every EU country plus Norway and Iceland.
• ECC-Net is a Europe-wide network of all the European Consumer Centres, who co-operate closely to help settle complaints between consumers and traders based in different EU countries.
• The Centres provide free advice on consumer rights and consumer help to EU citizens and consumers living in the EU (as well as Norway and Iceland) who are shopping abroad for goods or services in the European market.
• The Centres are co-financed by the European Commission and national governments.
• The Centres are hosted by national consumer authorities or consumer organisations, depending on the country. The European Commission co-ordinates the work of the entire network.
• Founded in 2005.
• In 2010, ECC-Net handled over 71, 000 consumer cases, up by 15% compared with 2009.
• In 2010, about 40% of consumer complaints handled by ECCs were amicably settled with the trader!
• European Consumer Centres jointly publish consumer reports on practical topics, from a comparison of hotel ratings to a survey of ski resorts in Europe.