EU legislation (e.g. on unfair contract terms, misleading advertisement, distance selling and the sale of goods and guarantees, package travel and on time sharing) already provide consumers with a set of rights. However, if such rights are to have a practical value, mechanisms must exist to ensure they can be exercised effectively. If consumers are to have sufficient confidence in shopping outside their own country and take full advantage of the Internal Market, they need assurance that if things go wrong they can seek redress.

Redress is a major concern for consumers. Having the right of access to the courts is a fundamental right but sometimes the legal process through the courts can be too expensive and unsuitable. The Commission has responded with a number of initiatives aimed at addressing this issue by promoting access to simple, swift, effective and inexpensive legal channels.