Consumer Law Redress Options
There are several ways consumers can initiate a consumer dispute or make a customer complaint following an unsatisfactory purchase:
Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)
The purpose of EU legislation on ADR is to facilitate the out-of-court resolution of consumer disputes. This will enable consumers to submit their complaints, on a voluntary basis, to entities offering independent, impartial, transparent, effective, fast and fair dispute resolution procedures, without prejudice to legal action.
Online Dispute Resolution (ODR)
The Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) platform, developed by the European Commission, offers a single point of entry that allows EU consumers and traders to settle their disputes for both domestic and cross-border online purchases.
European Small Claims Procedure
The European Small Claims Procedure provides consumers and businesses all over Europe with a uniform and inexpensive debt recovery process for low value claims in cross-border cases without the need to be legally represented. The procedure applies in civil and commercial matters where the value of a claim does not exceed €5,000.
