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Consumer Redress in the EU
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FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

About Consumer Redress Portal

Consumer Redress Portal is an interactive tool, established under Article 20(8) of Directive (EU) 2025/2647, as a resource to help consumers and traders navigate alternative dispute resolution (ADR) procedures and other means of consumer redress. 

It offers a searchable directory of all certified ADR entities (as defined in Article 2(1)), machine translation for cross-border disputes (per Recital 37), and direct access to complaint forms of the ADR entities (where available) — all while ensuring compliance with the Directive’s expanded scope, which now includes digital content/services and third-country trader disputes. 

Furthermore, the Consumer Redress Portal features other options to resolve consumer disputes, such as Representative Action, European Consumer Centres, and more. 

If you are looking for the information on consumer rights, please visit the Your Europe Website.

What is Solution Finder?

Our Solution Finder is a simple, step-by-step tool on the Consumer Redress Portal that helps consumers identify different options relevant to their dispute within the European Union or the European Economic Area.

Some of the tools will only be applicable for certain types of the disputes, such as where the consumer and trader are based in different countries. Others are only available in specific sectors. The solution finder allows you to quickly see which tools are the most useful for your case, but if you wish, you can read about all of them.

The list of the tools is not exhaustive, but it covers the most common situation. There may be other options, depending on your national legislation, or, for example, on your bank. You also have the right to go to court, if you believe your rights are violated.

What is Alternative Dispute Resolution?

Alternative dispute resolution (ADR) is a pragmatic option to resolve consumer complaints anywhere in the European Union, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. In line with the Directive - 2013/11/EU on alternative dispute resolution of consumer disputes, as amended by Directive - EU - 2025/2647 - EN - EUR-Lex, Member States must ensure that disputes which involve a trader established on their respective territories can be submitted to an ADR entity which complies with the strict quality requirements of the Directive.

Many ADR entities offer their services free of charge. In other cases consumers will pay a small fee. Most cases are settled within 90 days from submitting your complaint and all the necessary documentation (it may take longer if your case is very complex). Neither consumer nor the trader is obliged to hire a lawyer (but you still have the right to do so). Many ADR entities will resolve the case by written procedure (unless the parties require otherwise), that is, neither consumer nor trader will need to take time off work to participate in ADR.

Member States decide how to organise their ADR schemes: they can be publicly or privately funded, and they can take different forms, such as mediation, arbitration or ombudsservices. In some countries, the trader must take part in ADR, and must inform consumers which ADR entity should be contacted if you cannot settle your dispute bilaterally. Depending on national rules, the outcome may be a binding decision or a recommendation. Irrespective of the national ADR architecture, consumers retain the right to go to court.

If a trader is based in a different country, the consumer needs to verify whether the ADR entities in his or or her country resolves disputes against the foreign traders. If not, the consumer will need to contact the ADR entity in the trader’s country. 

If you need to contact the ADR entity in the country which is not your own, check the procedural rules carefully, including the language rules, and have your complaint translated if necessary.

In the future, each EU Member State will have a national ADR contact point to help you understand and access ADR procedures in a different Member State.

At the moment, over 400 ADR entities are listed on the Redress Portal. Some of  them are specialists, that is, they will only look at the disputes in a particular sector (or sometimes in a particular region of the country), or at the disputes against specific traders who committed to use this ADR entity. Many countries have also established residual (catch-all) ADR entities that handle disputes in all sectors not covered by specialist ADR entities. 

How to find the correct ADR entity?

If you have a dispute with a trader, and this trader is obliged or committed to use ADR, finding the right entity can be straightforward: the trader must provide this information on their website, as well as in terms and conditions of sale. Furthermore, if you complained to the trader (and we encourage you to do so before complaining to an ADR entity), and it is clear that the complaint cannot be solved directly, the trader must inform you which ADR entity can be contacted use. You can learn more about this ADR entity on their website, or read the main information here.

In case you have not received this information, or the trader is neither obliged or committed to use a specific ADR entity, you can find one in our list: Dispute resolution bodies - Consumer Redress in the EU

Here is how to search:

  1. Select the correct country in the dropdown menu on the left. Click "close" when you are done. In general, if you bought something from a trader in a country which is not your own, you will need to contact the ADR entity in the trader's country. There are exceptions: some ADR entities will review disputes between a local consumer and a foreign trader.  In the future, the ADR contact points that Member States shall designate by 20 March 2028, will be able to help you in your search. For now, we remind you that you can also contact your local European Consumer Centre. 
  2. Select the relevant sector (e.g., transport, insurance, food, or digital services), depending on what your dispute is about. 
  3. Review the results - each listing shows:
  • The ADR entity’s name and contact details.
  • A link to their complaint form (if available online).
  • What types of disputes they handle (competence).
  • Any fees (usually low or free for consumers).
  • Which language should you use to write your complaint.
  • Whether their decisions are binding or recommendations.

You will also find a link to their website, where you can learn more about how they work and their procedural rules. Some ADR entities may limit their work to specific types of disputes or to the traders who already agreed to work with this ADR entity. This information should be available on the entity's website or on our results page. 

I work for an ADR entity. Some of the information about my entity is outdated or inaccurate

The list of ADR entities published on the Consumer Redress Portal is maintained by national competent authorities, as stipulated under Directive 2013/11/EU. The European Commission does not manage these updates directly. To correct or update your entity’s information, please contact the relevant national authority in your country.

I provide consumer dispute resolution. I want to be listed on this site

Inclusion in the list of ADR entities is governed by Article 20(4) of Directive 2013/11/EU. Only entities that have been notified to the Commission by national authorities—and which comply with the Directive’s quality requirements — will be listed.
For information on how to be included in the national list of ADR entities, please contact the competent authority in your Member State.