Press Release: European Consumer Centres – 5 years at the service of European consumers

Between 2005 and 2009, the European Consumer Centres Network (ECC-Net) handled almost 270.000 contacts with EU consumers who turned to them for advice or help on cross-border shopping, according to the ECC-Net 5th anniversary report published by the European Commission. The number of annual contacts has been rising steadily, from about 43,000 in 2005 to over 60,000 in 2009. The annual value of amicable settlements of complaints with traders (in reimbursements and compensation for consumers) reached €3.5 million in 2008. The European Commission and Member States co-finance the ECC-Net which offers consumers free legal advice and assistance in every EU country as well as Norway and Iceland. Online purchases continue to be the main source of complaints for cross-border consumers: in 2009 they represented more than half (55.9%) of all complaints received.