Press Release: European Consumer Centres Network increasingly empower consumers – 2007 Report

On 18 June the European Consumer Centres Network (ECC-Net) published its Annual Report for 2007 reflecting a productive year, helping more than 55.000 consumers with information and advice on cross border shopping, both in person and online, ensuring that they are aware of their rights, and providing support in handling complaints. Consumers increasingly turned to the ECCs for help, with an increase of 5000 contacts since 2006. In 2007, most complaints tackled by ECCs concerned contract terms (25%), product and service (22,4%), and delivery (20%). The sectors mostly concerned were air transport and car rental, internet scams and fake lotteries, and non delivery of audiovisual products. More than half of complaints concerned on-line transactions (55%). The report highlighted some of the joint sectoral projects, such as on air passenger rights. It gave details of the main events in 2007, (World Consumer Day in March, Co-operation days, seminars), as well as details of success stories for consumers with real-life examples which were resolved with the help of the Network. It also included summaries of activity per country.

European Commission: DG Health and Consumers: Consumer Affairs: ECC-Net: Annual Report 2007 http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/redress_cons/docs/annual_report_ecc_2007.pdf

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