Consumer Protection Agencies and Dispute Resolution

Below is a list of consumer protection agencies and dispute resolution processes in Europe, disclosed where required in your country. Please note that there may not be a consumer protection agency in your country.

• Austria: The Consumer Information Association (Verein für Konsumenten-information) is available at https://vki.at/ and the Austrian Federal Chamber of Labour (Bundesarbeitskammer) is available at https://www.arbeiterkammer.at/index.html.
• Bosnia Herzegovina: Ombudsman for protection of consumers for Bosnia and Herzegovina at ozp.gov.ba and for Republic of Srpska Consumer Protection Associations: vladars.rs/sr-SP-Cyrl/Vlada/Ministarstva/MTT.
• Bulgaria: The National Commission for Consumers Protection is available at kzp.bg.
• Croatia: The Croatian Association for Consumer Protection (CACP) is available at consumersinternational.org/members/members/croatian-association-for-consumer-protection-cacp.
• Czech Republic: The Czech Trade Inspection (Česká obchodní inspekce) is available at coi.cz.
• Denmark: The Boards House (Nævnenes Hus) is available at naevneneshus.dk.
• Finland: The Consumer Disputes Board (Kuluttajariitalautakunta) is available at kuluttajariita.fi/fi.
• France: If you are a resident of France, you have access to an alternative dispute resolution scheme. You can address your claim to AME Conso, whose contact details are as follows: AME Conso, 197 Boulevard Saint-Germain, 75007 Paris, https://www.mediationconso-ame.com/.
• Germany: The Federation of German Consumer Organisations (Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband e. V. – vzvb) is represented in all German states and the list of advice centers is available at: https://www.verbraucherzentrale.de/verbraucherorganisationen.
• Greece: The General Directorate of Market and Consumer Protection of the General Secretariat of Commerce of the Ministry of Development (Γενική Διεύθυνση Αγοράς και Προστασίας Καταναλωτή της Γενικής Γραμματείας Εμπορίου του Υπουργείου Ανάπτυξης) is available at https://kataggelies.mindev.gov.gr/.
• Hungary: The list of dispute resolution bodies in Hungary is available at fogyasztovedelem.kormany.hu.
• Israel: The Consumer Protection and Fair Trade Authority (הרשות להגנת הצרכן ולסחר הוגן) is available at https://www.gov.il/he/departments/consumer_protection_and_fair_trade_authority/govil-landing-page..
• Italy: The Competition Authority (Autorità garante della concorrenza e del mercato) is available at https://www.agcm.it and the Communications Authority (Autorità per le garanzie nelle comunicazioni) is available at https://www.agcom.it.
• Liechtenstein: The Consumer Advice Centre (Anlaufstelle für Konsumentenfragen) is available at https://www.llv.li/de/landesverwaltung/amt-fuer-volkswirtschaft/konsumentenschutz/anlaufstelle-fuer-konsumentenfragen, and the Conciliation Board for Consumer Affairs (Schlichtungsstelle für Konsumentenangelegenheiten) is available at https://www.llv.li/de/landesverwaltung/amt-fuer-volkswirtschaft/konsumentenschutz/schlichtungsstelle-fuer-konsumentenangelegenheiten.
• Luxembourg: The Luxembourg Consumer Union (Union Luxembourgeoise des Consommateurs – Nouvelle A.S.B.L) is available at https://www.ulc.lu, and the Consumer Ombudsman (Médiateur de la consommation) is available at https:www.mediateurconsommation.lu.
• North Macedonia: The State Market Inspectorate (Државен пазарен инспекторат) is available at dpi.gov.mk/index.php/mk.
• Montenegro: Center for consumer protection of Montenegro is available at cezap.me.
• Norway: The Norwegian Consumer Authority (Forbrukertilsynet) is available at forbrukertilsynet.no.
• Portugal: The Consumer General Directorate provides a list of the Dispute Resolution Bodies in Portugal, available at consumidor.gov.pt/consumidor_4/direitos-dos-consumidores1/conflitos-de-consumo.aspx. If you are a consumer in Portugal and your claim is of €5000,00 (five thousand euros) or less, you are entitled to resort to mandatory arbitration to bring your claim, through one of the official Alternative Dispute Resolution Bodies operating in Portugal. The list of these entities is available here.
• Poland: The list of dispute resolution bodies is published in the Register available at the Office for Competition and Consumer Protection (UOKiK) website. You have the right to make use of out-of-court complaint and redress procedures. Detailed information on the consumer's right to use out-of-court procedures for handling complaints and pursuing claims, as well as rules of access to these procedures in Poland are available at the offices and websites of district (city) consumer ombudsmen, social organizations whose statutory tasks include consumer protection, Voivodship Inspectorates of Trade Inspection and at the following website addresses of the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection, e.g.:
  • uokik.gov.pl/spory_konsumenckie.php.
  • polubowne.uokik.gov.pl.
• Romania: The National Authority for Consumer Protection (Autoritatea Nationala pentru Protectia Consumatorilor) is available at anpc.ro.
• Slovakia: The list of dispute resolution bodies in the Slovak Republic is available at soi.sk/sk/Alternativne-riesenie-spotrebitelskych-sporov.soi.
• Slovenia: The list of private dispute resolution service providers is available at Reševanje potrošniških sporov: gov.si/assets/ministrstva/MGTS/Dokumenti/DNT/varstvo-potrosnikov/Seznam-izvajalcev-izvensodnega-resevanja-potrosniskih-sporov.docx.
• Sweden: The National Board for Consumer Disputes (Allmänna reklamationsnämnden) is available at arn.se.
• Switzerland: The Foundation for Consumer Protection (Stiftung für Konsumentenschutz) is available at https://www.konsumentenschutz.ch/.