Press Release: European Consumer Centres – transport remains the number one problem sector for consumers, accounting for one third of complaints

The European Consumer Centres Network (ECC-Net) handles over 62.000 contacts with EU consumers who turn to them for advice or for help with problems affecting cross-border shopping, both in person and online. The European Commission supports the network and on 3 August, 2009, published the ECC-Net Annual Report for 2008, which saw a 22% increase in the number of Consumers turning to them directly for help. In 2008 most complaints tackled by ECCs concerned transport (33%, of which 80% related to air transport), recreational services (25%) and hotels and restaurants (13%). The problems concerned product and service (25%), delivery (18%), contract terms (16%), and unfair commercial practices (14%). Over half of the problems reported referred to online shopping. The report highlighted many examples of how the centres have helped individual consumers, provided information on joint projects, such as on air passenger rights, and also included summaries of activity per country.