The European Consumer Centres Network (ECC-Net) comprises 29 centres across all EU Member States, Iceland and Norway, to support a better enforcement of consumer rights by enabling consumers to exercise their rights in a cross border context. Each center is co-funded by the European Commission and national governments.

The primary role of ECC-Net is to assist consumers with protecting and asserting their rights in cross-border purchases in the Single Market.

ECC-Net provides information, advice, assistance and intermediation to consumers with issues arising from cross-border consumer purchases where both the consumer and the trader are based in different countries in the EU, Iceland and Norway .

The Quality Charter describes services you can expect to receive and sets out the standard of service consumers are entitled to expect when contacting the ECC-Net.

In order to get in touch with us, please contact the ECC in your country of residence. ECC í þínu heimalandi.

1. Understanding your expectations

ECC-Net is committed to offering a professional and courteous service to all consumers who contact us and we will make every effort to ensure that the services you receive reflect your needs and expectations.

We will check the merits of your query by carrying out an adequate preliminary assessment to ensure that the matter is within ECC-Net’s remit. All consumer queries will be dealt with by a competent member of the ECC-Net legal team and handled in a timely and accurate manner.

If your query relates to a matter that falls outside the remit of ECC-Net, we will inform you accordingly and provide the contact details of any relevant body or organisation competent to deal with your query. Please check the annexes list detailing the matters covered and those excluded from the scope of competency of the ECC-Net.

2. Answering as fast as we can

Whether you write, telephone, e-mail or call us in person, we will acknowledge receipt and make every effort to consider the information/documentation that we have been provided with promptly and, at the latest, within 14 working days. As an exception, at times of particularly heavy demand, if we cannot meet this deadline, you will be informed accordingly.

3. Giving you valuable advice and guidance

Once the initial assessment process is concluded, you will be informed about your rights and entitlements under European consumer legislation as well as information on the available dispute resolution mechanisms. Consumers can rely on tailored legal advice and assistance.

4. Assist you through a cross-border out-of-court settlement procedure

When you encounter problems securing redress, ECC-Net can assist in the resolution of your cross- border consumer complaint by actively pursuing your complaint on your behalf. Upon your request, your local ECC (Consumer ECC) may seek assistance from the ECC in the country of the trader’s domicile (Trader ECC).

 Before bringing the matter to the attention of the competent ECC for its consideration, the following conditions must be fulfilled: (1) the consumer has attempted to contact the trader in writing in order to resolve the matter, (2) the consumer has a well-founded claim taking into consideration applicable European consumer legislation.

You may be required to provide relevant supporting documentation to enable us to progress your case.

Once the consumer’s case is accepted by the Trader ECC, the latter will endeavour to bring the matter to an amicable resolution by communicating with the trader on behalf of the consumer. The consumer will be updated on any developments by the Consumer ECC.

ECC-Net has no enforcement powers to impose any sanction, penalty or fine where consumer legislation is contravened. We will make every reasonable effort to resolve complaints amicably on your behalf; however in the event where the trader fails to cooperate or engage with us, you will be advised of alternative means of resolving your complaint, including enforcement and out-of-court mechanisms, where available.

5. Entrusting an out-of-court dispute settlement body with your case

One of the overall ECC-Net objectives is to resolve consumer complaints without the need for parties to engage with the court process. When an agreement cannot be reached directly with the trader and the matter cannot be resolved with our intervention, we may suggest engaging the services of a competent ADR (Alternative Dispute Resolution) entity, which offers dispute resolution procedures, without prejudice to legal action. In some instances, we may be in a position to transfer your case directly on to the competent body, monitor progress and update you accordingly whilst the case is pending with the ADR body. In instances where the relevant settlement procedure can be instigated by the consumer directly, we may provide you with the contact details of the competent ADR entity and the information in respect of the settlement process.

6. Having a long term view-the added value of your case for all consumers

As part of our work assisting consumers with their cross-border complaints, ECC-Net is in a unique position to document the problems consumers face when buying goods and services within the EU. Based on your consumer experiences, the ECC-Net pools its knowledge and expertise, and works with enforcement authorities, national and European stakeholders in the collective interest of consumers; this includes providing input for new legislative proposals or sectors that, in our opinion, needs further enforcement and protective measures for consumers.

7. Protecting your personal data and privacy

ECC-Net takes the protection of consumers’ personal data very seriously. Your data will exclusively be collected, saved and used to process your complaint within the network of the European Consumer Centres and to safeguard your interests. However, all submitted information will be handled according to the national law governing data protection. In some countries this includes your data to be accessible to the public upon demand. This is the case for all data shared with ECC Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden (Information on the principle of public access on the Swedish Government website). For this, we need your agreement. The data « privacy statement » edited by the European Commission informs you about how we use your personal data as well as your rights regarding its use.

8. Being open to your feedback

Your feedback is important to us. Your compliments, suggestions or complaints allow us to improve our services and the way we communicate.

And even though we are committed to providing a service to the best of our abilities, we understand that issues may occur. So we are happy to address complaints from consumers who are dissatisfied with the quality of the service provided or its delivery. A complaint should be made, in the first instance, to the person you are dealing with in the centre. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive and wish to make a formal written complaint, you may contact our senior legal advisor via [email protected]. The case will then be reviewed as regards its merits and the manner in which it has been handled. [email protected]. Málið verður þá tekið til skoðunar.

ECC Iceland may also send you a consumer satisfaction survey giving you an opportunity to tell us about your experiences and provide suggestions for improvements where needed.  

Annex to the quality charter

Matters in and out of scope of the ECC-Net

The ECC-Net is competent:

• If the request comes from a consumer, meaning a 'natural person who who in purchasing goods or services is acting for the purposes which are outside his trade, business, craft orprofession'
• * • and concerns a professional trader
• If there is a cross border context to the claim within the EU, Iceland and Norway. For this the consumer making the query must be resident in the EU, Iceland or Norway AND the trader is based in ANOTHER country within the EU, Iceland or Norway (ie. not the same country as the consumer’s residence). The consumer ́s residence is the country where the consumer lives at the moment when he/she contacts the ECC-Net.

The ECC is not competent:

• • For complaints involving two private individuals (purchase of goods or holiday rentals between two private persons for example)
• • For complaints involving two traders (for example claims linked to business directories)
• • If the complaint concerns a trader outside the geographical scope of the network o (Switzerland, USA, China, Russia…)
• • If the trader has expressly refused to cooperate with the ECC-Net
• • If you have already started a legal procedure/court procedure

If your query relates to a matter that falls outside the remit of ECC-Net, we will inform you accordingly and provide the contact details of any relevant body or organisation competent to deal with your query. This will be the case for example

• • If we cannot identify the trader (false addresses, hidden registrar of webdomain ...)
• • In case of fraud (counterfeiting, so called snowball systems …)
• • For specific investment products such as forex, binary options and cryptocurrencies.