How can ECC help?
ECC-Net was established in 2005, with the aim of making it easier for consumers to exercise their rights in the EU, Iceland and Norway. ECC-Net also cooperates with the International Consumer Centre in the UK.
The ECC helps by mediating between consumers and businesses in cross-border disputes. The purpose of mediation is to find a solution that is reasonable and acceptable to both parties.
ECC Ireland can help you if you live in the Republic of Ireland and encounter a problem with a business located in another part of the EU, Iceland, Norway or the UK.
How does the ECC service work?
ECC Ireland can help you if you live in the Republic of Ireland and have a problem with a business located elsewhere within the EU, Iceland, Norway or the UK. Our legal assistance is free of charge.
If you would like us to intervene on your behalf, you must have already contacted the business to complain in writing. If you haven’t completed this step yet, you can use our letter templates to help you make an initial complaint.
If you have made a complaint and it has either been rejected or unanswered then you can submit a complaint to ECC Ireland using our online form.
Here are the steps to our process:
1 Submit a complaint
Use our form to submit your complaint. Explain the issue and attach relevant documents.
Upon receipt of your complaint, we will send you a confirmation email with a personal case ticket number. Please keep this email carefully! You will need the details if you contact us with a question about your case.
2 We review your complaint
A member of our trained case handling team will review your complaint and contact you within 14 days of receiving the complaint.
3 Mediation
If we have a case, we will contact the European Consumer Centre where the business is based and the mediation procedure starts. If it is not possible to mediate in your complaint, we will inform you about alternative options.
Mediation procedure
If it is accepted, we will forward the complaint to the ECC in the country where the business is based. Our colleagues will assess your complaint based on their domestic rules and regulations. Within this legal context the mediation procedure is started. The ECC mediates between you and the business to ensure you can exercise your rights. The business’s cooperation is required, we do not have legal powers to force a business to participate or accept a solution.
What happens if mediation is unsuccessful?
If the business is unwilling to co-operate or does not agree with your complaint, we will end the mediation process in a timely manner. If that happens then we will inform you that the complaint has been closed and set out any legal options that you have.
