Dear Customer,
The European Union has created a website to support consumers in submitting complaints regarding any dispute in which they are involved. In this context, we provide all the necessary information so that you may exercise your right to file a complaint with an official, third-party, and impartial entity to the process (“dispute resolution entity”) that will assist you in resolving the dispute in question.
Therefore, if you are dissatisfied with the purchase of a good or service, or with the solution we have presented to resolve the situation, you can access this official website https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/odr/main/?event=main.home.show and submit your complaint.
What is alternative dispute resolution? Alternative dispute resolution is the option available to all consumers to turn to official entities that assist them in the resolution or guidance of a conflict before initiating legal proceedings in the Courts.
As a general rule, the procedure is as follows: the customer asks an impartial third party to intervene as an intermediary between themselves and the trader who is the subject of their complaint. The intermediary may suggest a solution to your complaint, impose a solution on both parties, or bring the parties together to find a solution.
You may know the concept of alternative dispute resolution by another name: ‘mediation’, ‘conciliation’, ‘arbitration’, or ‘competent committee for consumer disputes’.
Alternative dispute resolution is generally less expensive, less formal, and faster than the judicial route.
In the event of a consumer dispute, the consumer may resort to the following alternative consumer dispute resolution entities:
CNIACC – Centro Nacional de Informação e Arbitragem de Conflitos de Consumo (National Center for Consumer Conflict Information and Arbitration) https://www.cniacc.pt/pt/
CIMAAL – Centro de Informação, Mediação e Arbitragem de Conflitos de Consumo de Algarve (Center for Information, Mediation and Arbitration of Consumer Conflicts of the Algarve) http://www.ciab.pt/pt/
CACCL – Centro de Arbitragem de Conflitos de Consumo de Lisboa (Lisbon Consumer Conflict Arbitration Center) http://www.centroarbitragemlisboa.pt/
CACCVA – Centro de Arbitragem de Conflitos de Consumo do Vale do Ave/Tribunal Arbitral (Vale do Ave Consumer Conflict Arbitration Center/Arbitral Tribunal) http://www.triave.pt/
CICAP – Centro de Informação de Consumo e Arbitragem do Porto (Tribunal Arbitral de Consumo) (Porto Consumer Information and Arbitration Center – Consumer Arbitral Tribunal) http://www.cicap.pt/
CIAB – Centro de Informação, Mediação e Arbitragem de Consumo (Tribunal Arbitral de Consumo) (Consumer Information, Mediation and Arbitration Center – Consumer Arbitral Tribunal) http://www.ciab.pt/pt/
CIMPAS – Centro de Informação, Mediação e Provedoria de Seguros (Center for Information, Mediation and Ombudsman for Insurance) https://www.cimpas.pt/
Pursuant to Law no. 144/2015 for dispute resolution, please consult: CNIACC – Phone: 213 847 484 (Call to national landline network) E-mail: cniacc@fd.unl.pt Website: www.arbitragemdeconsumo.org