EUROPIAN UNION CONSUMER RIGHTS

Europe on the move

European Union

Your rights as a consumerHow the European Union protects your interests

You can find this booklet and other short, clear explanations about the EU online at

ec.europa.eu/publications

European Commission

Directorate-General for Communication

Publications

B-1049 Brussels

Manuscript completed in February 2007

Cover illustration: Andres Rodriguez, Shutterstock

Cataloguing data can be found at the end of this publication.

Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, 2007

ISBN 92-79-03538-X

© European Communities, 2007

Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged

Printed in Belgium

PRINTED ON WHITE CHLORINE-FREE PAPER

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Consumers at the heart of Europe 3

Product safety 5

Product guarantees 7

Financial services and consumer credit 8

Price transparency 10

Unfair contract terms and business practices 11

Package holidays 12

Timeshare 13

Air travel 14

Food safety 16

Help if things go wrong 18

Travelling with animals 20

Helping consumers to help themselves 21

Contents

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Consumers at the heart of Europe

The European Union (EU) has an openmarket comprising 27 countries andover 490 million consumers. This offersyou the chance to access a huge choiceof products and services and the pos-sibility of buying goods at the mostcompetitive prices without botheringabout customs, taxes and, in the euroarea, exchange rates.

But maybe you are not taking fulladvantage of the opportunities offeredby the single market.

Perhaps you are still not confidentabout buying goods or services inanother EU country or over the Internet.

Protecting consumers, their interestsand their safety is an essential part ofthe EU’s overall objective to improvethe quality of life of all Europeans. Thatis why the EU strives to ensure thatwhatever you decide to buy, and wher-ever you are in the EU, you are pro-tected by key basic principles of con-sumer protection.

1. Buy what you want, where youwant

2. If it doesn’t work, send it back

3. High safety standards for foodand consumer goods

4. Know what you are eating

5. Contracts should be fair to consumers

6. Sometimes consumers can change their mind

7. Making it easier to compare prices

8. Consumers should not be misled

9. Protection while you are onholiday

10. Effective redress for cross-borderdisputes

Further information: ec.europa.eu/consumers/cons_info/10principles_en.htm

Ten basic principles of consumer protection in the EU

These principles are the minimumconsumer protection rights thatmust exist in all EU countries.However, some countries may domore. The EU is working to improvethese rights and ensure that they areequally good and equally wellapplied everywhere in Europe.

Consumer confidence is key to a com-

petitive and flourishing European

Union!

With this booklet, you will learn moreabout what the EU is doing for you asa European consumer, how it is pro-tecting your rights and interests andhow to uphold your rights in case of aproblem. The booklet is intended as ashort practical guide, answering someof the most common questions theCommission receives from consumersabout their rights. To learn moreabout the specific situation in yourcountry, you should contact yournational consumer organisations.

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Always fighting to improveconsumer protection

The EU is striving to strengthen consumerprotection, not only by improving laws,but also by other means such as sup-porting EU consumer associations andconsumer centres, information andeducation campaigns and gatheringinformation on consumer opinionsand problems.

With a budget of €156.8 million, theEuropean consumer action pro-gramme 2007–13 aims to supportmany concrete projects and initiativespresented by various stakeholdergroups.

The EU is also working to integrateconsumer interests in all its policies,especially in relation to the singlemarket, competition policy, energypolicy, the liberalisation of servicesand public utilities and the preserva-tion of services of general interest.

Your r ights as a consumer

‘Consumers have a leading role in the Europeaneconomy.’

‘I view the EU consumer as a real player in the single market —not just a mere observer of market forces.

There are now more than 490 million consumers in Europe.Their expenditure represents over half of the EU’s gross domes-tic product (GDP).

Consumers are key to both growth and job creation, and yetthere is an EU-wide lack of consumer confidence when it comesto cross-border transactions in particular.

Consumers should be equally confident about buying in diffe-rent countries as they are at home.’

Meglena Kuneva.

Meglena Kuneva, EU ConsumerCommissioner

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Product safety

‘How do I know my children’s toys are safe?’

New mum Anne lives in Limerick, Ireland, with her husband and 18-month-old baby, Sean.Now that Sean is getting older, Anne wants to be sure that the toys she gives him to play withare safe.

‘Every Christmas there are horror stories in the media about dangerous toys on the mar-ket that could kill or seriously injure children. How can I, as a parent, know whether thetoys I buy for my child won’t harm him?’

As Anne is living in the EuropeanUnion, she should not have to worryabout the safety of products. EU ruleson product safety stipulate that it isthe responsibility of producers anddistributors to place only safe pro-ducts on the market. Moreover, iffaulty products are discovered, protec-tion measures are taken very rapidly.Toys, cosmetics and electrical equip-ment have to adhere to further strictsafety requirements.

Surveillance authorities in each EUcountry are responsible for makingsure that products meet the safetyrequirements. If products do not fit thebill, authorities can withdraw themfrom the market, request a recall fromshops, issue warnings, or take anyother appropriate measures.

Early warning on dangerousproducts

If a dangerous product is found in onecountry, information on the product ispassed on to the other EU countriesvia a rapid alert system called‘RAPEX’. The system facilitates cooper-ation between national and Europeanauthorities to track down dangerousproducts and remove them quicklyfrom the market. A similar systemcalled ‘RASFF’ is in place for food.

International cooperation

The European Commission is also work-ing with third countries to help themensure their products meet EU stan-dards. One example is the agreementbetween China and the EU in 2006 tocooperate towards safer products,especially toys. Such cooperation is awin-win situation — it allows Europeanconsumers to have a wider choice ofgood-quality products and it helpsthird countries gain access to the big-gest single market in the world.

EU rules on product safetyare especially strict for toys.

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Banning the marketing of dangerous products

Certain categories of products orsubstances presenting a risk for thesafety or for the health of peoplemay be totally banned from the EUmarket. The use of plastic softenerscalled phthalates, which can be toxicwhen ingested by young children,has been banned in the manufactureof toys since the late 1990s.

In 2006, the European Commissionalso prohibited the marketing of dis-posable lighters not equipped with achild-resistant mechanism.

Ensuring the safe use of chemicals

In 2006, a new set of rules known asthe REACH framework on the manu-facturing, marketing, import and useof chemical substances in the EU wasadopted. These rules will involve safe-ty checks on some 30 000 chemicalsubstances in use today, and compa-nies will have to provide evidence todemonstrate that their use is safe forpeople and for the environment.

Further information:

The general EU rules on product safety:ec.europa.eu/consumers/cons_safe/prod_safe/gpsd/index_en.htm

Chemicals and REACH: ec.europa.eu/enterprise/reach/index_en.htm

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Product guarantees

‘How long are guarantees on consumer goods valid?’

Viktor used to live in Germany, where it is common for products to have manufacturers’ guar-antees of five years. In March 2005, he bought a new washing machine in his home town ofEger in Hungary, but it started to leak water in April 2006.

‘I complained to the Hungarian representative of the manufacturer, but they didn’t wantto know. They said in Hungary there is only a one-year guarantee, not five years. Whatcan I do?’

In this case, Viktor’s rights as an EUconsumer are not being respected bythe Hungarian representative of themanufacturer. The fact is that a two-year guarantee applies for the sale ofall consumer goods everywhere inthe EU (Directive 1999/44/EC). Insome countries, this may be more, andsome manufacturers also choose tooffer a longer warranty period.

When you buy a new product, it shouldlook and function exactly how it wasadvertised. But do you know what yourrights are if your new coffee machineleaks, or if a green door is deliveredinstead of the blue one you ordered?

The vast majority of purchases andtransactions in Europe take place withno reason for complaint. However, ifyou do have reason to complain, youshould be aware that the followingrights and responsibilities apply eve-rywhere in the EU:

• If the item you bought does not lookor function as it was advertised, or ifit is not satisfactory, you have the

right to have the item replaced orto get your money back if the re-placement was not completed in areasonable time at no extra cost.

• If you buy goods that turn out to befaulty, manufacturers must compen-sate you for any personal injury ordamage caused to property.

• When you buy goods or services bypost, telephone, fax or through theInternet from a professional trader,you have the same rights in relationto guarantees as if you had boughtthem in a shop.


ec.europa.eu/consumers/cons_int/safe_shop/guarantees/index_en.htm

A two-year guaranteeapplies to the saleof all consumer goodseverywhere in the EU.

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Financial services and consumer credit

‘I’ve just bought a life insurance policy over the Internet, and now I want tochange my mind. Can I cancel?’

While surfing the Internet, Matt from Luxembourg saw an advert offering a cheap life insurancepolicy. He decided to sign up for 20 years’ coverage. However, when he looked into other policieslater, he thought he had paid too much and may be able to get a better deal.

‘There’s nothing wrong with what I bought, but I made the decision quickly, and now I want tochange my mind. Is this possible?’

Matt’s case is covered by Europeanlaws on the distance marketing offinancial services. This gives him acooling-off period of 30 days in whichhe can withdraw from the contract.During this time, he can inform theinsurance provider that he wishes to

If you buy a life insurancepolicy over the phone

or by the Internet, you have a cooling-off

period of 30 days in which you can

change your mind.

withdraw, and receive a refund ofwhat he paid. He should have beentold about this right of withdrawalbefore signing the contract, and thisshould be stated in the documents hereceives.

These days consumers receive morecommercial offers than ever — be itby post, over the phone, or on theInternet. These different ‘distance-selling’ techniques may appear tooffer cost savings to consumers.However, without the face-to-facesale, there are fewer opportunities toask questions, and to make sure youare really happy with what you arebuying. The European law on the dis-tance marketing of financial servicesaims to protect you in the followingways:

• It bans abusive marketing practicesseeking to oblige consumers to buya service they have not asked for.

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• It restricts other practices such as un-solicited phone calls and e-mails(‘coldcalling’ and ‘spamming’).

• It obliges financial services firms toprovide consumers with all the nec-essary information before a contractis concluded including contact de-tails of the supplier, price and pay-ment arrangements, contractualrights and obligations and perfor-mance of the service offered.

• It gives the consumer a right to with-draw from the contract during a cool-ing-off period, normally of 14 daysbut rising to 30 days for life insuranceand personal pensions.

Consumer credit

The opportunity to borrow money (con-sumer credit) is a useful way for con-sumers to purchase things such as cars,holidays, furniture or clothes, withoutneeding to pay the full amount up front.However, too much exposure to creditmay also be a risk.

You as a consumer have certain mini-mum rights when you take out consumer credit, wherever you are in the EU.European legislation provides certainobligations for creditors that cover boththe terms of the credit agreement (e.g. theright to early repayment) and the infor-mation you are entitled to receive.


EU rights on distance marketing of financial services:ec.europa.eu/consumers/cons_int/fina_serv/dist_mark/index_en.htm

EU rights on consumer credit:ec.europa.eu/consumers/cons_int/fina_serv/cons_directive/index_en.htm

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Price transparency

‘How does the EU help me to compare prices?’

Gerda lives in the Netherlands and is looking to buy a new family car. She has heard that she maybe able to get the model she wants more cheaply from another EU country. However, she wondershow to find the best deal, and is worried that she may not be entitled to after-sales service from themanufacturer.

‘I am keen to take advantage of price differences in the EU, but I am not sure where to get theright information.’

EU helps car-seekers compare prices

Thanks to the single market, it is noweasier than ever to get the best dealin the EU when it comes to buying anew car.

Following the introduction in 2002of European rules prohibiting carmanufacturers from having selectiveand exclusive dealerships, competi-tion between suppliers has increased,to the benefit of European citizens.

The introduction of the euro currencyin 2002 has also made it easier forconsumers to compare prices and toshop in different countries withoutneeding to change money.

Each year, the European Commissionpublishes a car price report, showingwhere consumers can find cars at thehighest and lowest prices. There arealso numerous price comparisonwebsites, where consumers can findthe best deal on cars, car parts andservice. Check with your local consumer

protection organisation to find outwhether it recommends any sites inparticular.

VAT included

When you make a purchase in anotherEU country, the price is all inclusive —meaning that you do not have torepay VAT or to add import duties(unlike when you bring in things fromoutside the EU). This applies if you goto other countries to shop, or if youorder goods via the Internet, post orphone.

Unit pricing

EU rules mean that all sellers mustclearly display the full price, includingVAT, of all goods for sale to privateconsumers. Goods sold loose, such asfruit and vegetables or petrol, musthave the unit price displayed (e.g. theprice per kilogram or per litre). Thismakes it easier for consumers to com-pare prices between sellers.

Thanks to the EU,it is now easier than ever

to compare car pricesacross the EU.

Further information: ec.europa.eu/comm/competition/sectors/motor_vehicles/prices/report.html

Unfair contract terms and business practices

‘What is being done to crack down on rogue traders?’

Irena in Opole, Poland, signed up to what she thought was a legitimate lottery website — offer-ing online subscriptions to the euro-millions draw. Irena signed up for 20 weeks and entered hercredit card details in good faith that only the 20-week fee (some €30) would be withdrawn.

‘When my next credit card bill arrived, I got a terrible shock — the company had chargedme over €200! When I called them, they said there was a clause in the small print sta-ting that the contract is for five years, with a big administration fee on top. Now they arerefusing to refund me.

What is being done to stop this kind of scam?’

Such unfair contract terms will be prohi-bited under European law fromDecember 2007. The same law will alsoban unfair commercial practices such as:

• Misleading advertising

A trader who makes a claim aboutthe effect of a product will have tobe able to back it up — wherever inthe EU the trader is based. For in-stance, it is banned to claim in mar-keting that a product will cure anillness if it does not.

• Aggressive practices

Mrs Rouveure contracted a plumberto fix a faulty radiator. She was ini-tially told that the job would cost€80. However, instead, the bill cameto €450.90. When she refused to paythe additional amount, the plumberdisconnected her hot-water supply.In this case, the plumber used undueinfluence to exploit a position of

power over the consumer, which isillegal under European law.

• Aggressive doorstep selling

A salesman turns up at your door andsomehow persuades you to make apurchase by aggressive means, suchas ignoring repeated requests by youto leave. Such behaviour is also anillegal aggressive practice and isprohibited.

Aggressive sales techniques areprohibited under EU law.


ec.europa.eu/consumers/cons_int/safe_shop/fair_bus_pract/ucp_en.pdf

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Package holidays

‘What are my rights in a package-holiday dispute?’

Annika and Carl had booked a week-long package holiday to a five-star hotel on Paphos beachin Cyprus through a tour operator in Finland. However, when they arrived, they discovered that thecompany had moved them to a three-star hotel several kilometres from Paphos.

‘The hotel was not at all what we expected, and we had to take a bus to get to the beach eachday. The Finnish holiday company said that our original hotel was closed for refurbishment,and that there was no room in hotels of the same standard as it was a busy time of year.

We complained of course, but they refused to refund us, saying that the events were beyondtheir control. What are our rights in this case?’

As an EU citizen, you have a widerange of rights enabling you to feelsafe and confident while travellingboth within the EU and further afield.

EU law protects consumers who pur-chase a combination of travel servicesfrom a company located in the EU.

Such package holidays commonly in-clude transport and accommodation andmay also cover meals and excursion tours.

EU law says that the travel organiserhas the obligation to provide accurateinformation on the package proposed,including on transportation, accom-modation, meals, itinerary and insur-ance requirements.

If your holiday does not correspond towhat was promised in the brochure, touroperators must offer you compensation.

If the tour operator goes bankruptwhile you are on holiday, it must havearrangements in place to get you backhome. Furthermore, you have the rightto cancel your booking if, for instance,the company changes significantly anyessential terms of the package such asthe dates of the holiday or the price.

If your holiday does notcorrespond to what wasoffered in the brochure,the tour operator must

offer you compensation.

Further information: ec.europa.eu/consumers/cons_int/safe_shop/pack_trav/index_en.htm

© EC

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Timeshare

‘What are the rules on timeshare in the EU?’

Mr and Mrs Bain were on their first holiday in Spain when they were approached in the street, givena scratch card and told that they had won a free holiday. They were delighted!

‘But then we were jumbled into a taxi and taken to a hotel miles out of town for a three-hour hardsales pitch. I am not very well and can’t sit for long and was just so desperate to leave. In the end, wewere asked to sign a lot of paperwork and pay €1 000. What should we have done in this situation?’

The high-pressure sales situation inwhich Mr and Mrs Bain found them-selves is not uncommon. In such cir-cumstances, the advice is as follows.

If you decide to sign a timeshare agree-ment, the law gives you a cooling-offperiod of at least 10 days. Until the endof this cooling-off period, you can can-cel the agreement if you wish, withouthaving to pay a fee. During the cooling-off period, it is illegal for the company toask for money from you, so do not payanything on the spot. If you do pay a feeup front, it may be more difficult for youto get this money back if you decide tocancel the agreement afterwards.

Timeshare explained

When you buy a timeshare, you buy theright to use holiday accommodation fora set amount of time each year. Theaccommodation is typically a villa, holi-day home or flat. The contract shouldbe of at least three years, and for aminimum stay of one week a year toguarantee you EU timeshare rights.

Check that minimum rights are explained to you

Whatever the situation and arrange-ment that are proposed, you shouldcheck that you are given a minimumset of rights such as a cooling-offperiod, a prospectus and contracts in your

own language. If these are not present,walk away from the proposal.

What to be aware of

When you buy a timeshare, it is impor-tant to get as much information as pos-sible before you sign, including details of:

• full costs, including charges for thingslike legal fees, gas, electricity andwater, and annual management andmaintenance charges;

• duration of the agreement; • what the resort is like. If it is still be-

ing built, check that planning per-mission has been granted, the extentof the development and the amountof work still to be completed;

• type of timeshare you will have. Willyou own the title to the property orshares in the land? Could you sell yourshare of land or transfer your rights?

• terms and conditions of the agree-ment;

• who is responsible for the day-to-day running of the resort and main-tenance of the property;

• whether there is an owners’ committeeor association and what powers it has.


ec.europa.eu/consumers/cons_int/safe_shop/timeshare/protection_en.htm

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Air travel

‘What are the airlines’ obligations towards their passengers?’

Sophie was due to fly from Toulouse in France to Krakow in Poland at 2 pm. When she arrivedat the airport, she found her flight was delayed by 11 hours. The airline told her that one of itsaeroplanes had broken down, but it refused to offer any compensation.

‘I spent the whole day in the airport and spent money on food and drink. Should the air-line have provided some refreshments at least?’

When travelling by air for business orpleasure, you have certain rights whenit comes to information, delays, can-cellations, overbooking and damageto your luggage, thanks to EU rules.The rules apply even if there are extra-ordinary circumstances which causedthe flight disruption.

These rights apply to scheduleddomestic flights within an EU countryand to charter flights leaving or arri-ving at an EU airport. For flights arri-ving from outside the EU, these rightsonly apply to EU airlines.

Air passengers have rights when it comes to flight

information, delays, cancellations, overbooking

and baggage, thanks toEU rules.

Long delays

If you check in on time for a flight andthere is a significant delay, the airlinemust provide you with meals andrefreshments, hotel accommodation, ifnecessary, and communication facili-ties. The airline also has to give you awritten statement about your rights asa passenger.

When the delay is 5 hours or more, theairline should also offer to refund yourticket, but only if you decide not totake the delayed flight. There is nofinancial compensation for delays.

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Overbooking

If there are too many passengersbooked for the seats available, the airlinefirstly has to call for volunteers willingto give up their seats. It is only thenthat an airline can decide not to takecertain passengers on board. It is thenobliged to offer you financial compen-sation. You are also entitled to mealsand refreshments, hotel accommoda-tion, if necessary, communication faci-lities and a written statement aboutyour rights as a passenger.

Cancellation

If your flight is cancelled due to rea-sons within the airline’s control, theoperating airline should provide youwith either a refund of your ticket oralternative transport to your final des-tination. Under certain circumstancesand, if the cancellation is not as aresult of a force majeure incident, theairline has to pay you financial com-pensation. It also has to give you

meals and refreshments, hotel accom-modation, if necessary, communica-tion facilities and a written statementabout your rights as a passenger.

Lost luggage

You may claim compensation for des-truction, damage, loss or delay of yourluggage on a flight by an EU airline,anywhere in the world.

Resolution of disputes

In order to avoid lengthy and costlycourt cases, EU countries are obligedto set up independent nationalbodies to deal with passengers’ com-plaints and any disputes they mayhave with airlines. For the name andaddress of the relevant authority, ordetails of organisations which canadvise or help with other complaints(e.g. loss of luggage, injury, and pac-kage holidays), contact Europe Directby freephone on 00 800 6 7 8 9 10 11,or by e-mail via the website europedirect.europa.eu


ec.europa.eu/transport/air_portal/passenger_rights/information_en.htm

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Food safety

‘Can we be sure that all we eat is safe?’

Alica and Ján live in Levice, Slovakia. In the last few years, they have noticed that they canfind an ever-growing range of products from across Europe and even beyond in their localsupermarket.

‘We are aware of food scares in the 1990s, such as “mad cow” disease or adulterated oliveoil. And now the media is talking about avian flu. With such large numbers of new pro-ducts entering the market all the time, how do we know if we can trust all the food in oursupermarket?’

regulation can guarantee consumerszero risk, EU countries have amongthe highest safety standards in theworld.

Over the last few years, the EU hasbeen overhauling its food laws in amajor effort to minimise the risk offood safety crises of the kind we sawin the 1990s. The ‘farm to fork’approach ensures traceability of pro-ducts, strict hygiene standards andadequate information for consumers.

How the ‘farm to fork’ approach works in practice

• Animal health is a top priority in theEU, helping to prevent contagiousanimal diseases, such as swine feveror foot-and-mouth disease.

• Animal welfare measures help toensure better conditions for theanimals.

• There are strict rules for what can gointo animal feed.

• All food and feed businesses mustmake sure all foodstuffs and ingredi-ents can be traced right through thefood chain.

The EU food safety systemensures high quality,

strict hygiene standards, lowrisk, and adequate

information for Europeanconsumers.

The European Union has rules andstandards in place to ensure that allthe food we eat is of high quality,whether it comes from within theEU or outside. Although no system of

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• There are specific rules on food ad-ditives, such as colours and sweet-eners and on the minerals and vita-mins that can be added to food, aswell as on the use of pesticides.

• The EU has strict rules regarding foodhygiene to avoid contaminants suchas salmonella and listeria.

• The European Food Safety Authori-ty (EFSA) evaluates the risk posedby new foodstuffs, using science andthe latest available technologies.

• The EU is the world’s largest marketfor imports of food from developingcountries. Farms and food produ-cers which export to the EU must re-spect the same safety principles asapply in the EU.

Read the label

If you want to know exactly what youare eating, food labels are the crucialsource. According to EU food labellingrules, the label must include the follow-ing information:

• The name, composition and contentof the product, the manufacturer,methods of storage and preparation.

• The durability or use-by date.

• If the item of food contains a genet-ically modified product, this shouldbe clearly stated.

• Ingredients to which some consumersmay be allergic (e.g. nuts) even if thequantities used are very small.

• There are other special rules applyingto certain foodstuffs. For example, thepresence of quinine and caffeine infood must be clearly indicated.


The European Commission’s food safety website:ec.europa.eu/food/index_en.htm

The European Commission’s agriculture and food website:ec.europa.eu/agriculture/foodqual/index_en.htm


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Help if things go wrong

‘Who can help me if I have a problem with a trader in another country?’

A consumer in France ordered a digital camera from a German website. The customer paid€300 in advance for the camera, and was informed that the German trader had sent thecamera through the post. However, the camera never arrived. The customer tried to contact thetrader several times, but, when he got no response, he turned for help to the French EuropeanConsumer Centre (ECC). The French ECC liaised with the German online consumer body, whichwas able to go straight to the trader. As the trader had no proof of postage, he was obligedto provide the French customer with a new camera.

Dispute resolution

If you have an unresolved dispute witha trader, do not despair! There are anumber of options you can take foradvice or help.

Step 1: Seek advice

There are a number of places andorganisations you can turn to for ad-vice as a first step:

1. The national consumer associa-tion in your country. You can findnational consumer organisations here: ec.europa.eu/consumers/cons_org/associations/index_en.htm

2. The European Consumer Centres Network (ECC-Net)

This network of consumer advicecentres helps consumers specificallywith cross-border disputes. It was setup in January 2005 by the EuropeanCommission in cooperation with thenational authorities. The centres giveinformation and advice on problemswith shopping across borders andintervene where problems arise.

Further information:ec.europa.eu/consumers/redress/ecc_network/index_en.htm

3. FIN-NET: Network for settlingcross-border financial disputes outof court

In 2001, the Commission launched aEurope-wide network for out-of-courtsettlement of cross-border financialdisputes. This network, called FIN-NET,aims to facilitate out-of-court resolu-tion of disputes when the consumerand the financial services provider

If you have an unresolved disputewith a trader, there

are a number ofplaces you can turn to

for advice.

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(bank, insurance company, etc.) comefrom different EU countries. It providesthe consumer with an alternative wayto solve disputes quickly, cheaply andeasily, and may reduce his/her needto go to court.

Further information:ec.europa.eu/internal_market/finservices-retail/finnet/index_en.htm

4. Solvit: Problem solving in thesingle market

Solvit is an online problem-solving net-work in which the EU countries worktogether to solve problems caused bythe misapplication of single marketrules by public authorities. The net-work deals with cases which includenon-recognition of professional qualifi-cations in another country, problemswith car registration, residence permitsor market access of products.

Further information:ec.europa.eu/solvit/site/index_en.htm

Step 2: Take action

If your negotiations with the traderhave failed and you wish to takethings further, you could consider twopossibilities:

1. Taking court action at national levelor2. Alternative dispute resolution(ADR).

ADRs are schemes set up to help solvedisputes without having to go througha costly and time-consuming courtprocedure. ECCs can give you adviceon those ADRs which meet EU stan-dards. Most schemes use a third partysuch as an arbitrator, mediator orombudsman to help you and thetrader reach a solution. The maintypes of ADR that deal with consumerdisputes are conciliation, arbitrationand mediation and are usuallyprovided by trade associations.

Further information:ec.europa.eu/consumers/redress/out_of_court/index_en.htm

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Travelling with animals

‘Can I take my dogs on holiday with me?’

Roberta is Italian but works in Madrid as a teacher. She would like to visit her parents in Florencethis summer, but she recently bought two puppies and doesn’t know whether she can take them onthe trip with her.

‘I would really love my parents to see the dogs when I go back to Italy. Are pets allowed totravel in the EU? What do I need to do to take them with me?’

Pet passports

It is now easy to take your pet withyou when travelling between EU coun-tries. For cats, dogs and ferrets, EUharmonised legislation now exists formost EU countries, so all you need todo is make sure your animal has:

• a valid rabies vaccination;

• an electronic transponder or read-able tattoo;

• a pet passport, which can be issuedby your veterinarian.

For entry into Ireland, Malta, Swedenand the United Kingdom, an additio-nal test is required to ensure that therabies vaccination has been effective.Tick and tapeworm treatment mayalso be necessary.

You can also use the pet passport ifyou are travelling to or from one ofthe EU’s neighbouring countrieswhere the rabies status matches thatof the EU. These include Andorra,Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco,Norway, San Marino, Switzerland andthe Vatican City State.

The European Commission recom-mends that you always discuss withyour veterinarian the country of des-tination and individual circumstancesbefore travelling with your pet.

For all animals other than cats, dogsand ferrets, there are national laws ineach EU country.

Taking animals on aeroplanes

If you wish to travel with your pet byaeroplane, it is essential to talk to yourairline before booking a ticket.

Airlines have different conditions fortravel with pets, but in general theywill ask you to:

• make sure the animal is in a securetravelling box or cage;

• make sure the pet has all the neces-sary vaccines, certificates and entrypermits for the country to which youare travelling;

• make sure the animal is comfortable,has enough room in its cage or boxand has enough food and/or waterfor the journey.

Cost

The cost of travelling with animals candiffer from country to country and be-tween different methods of transport.However, you will need to pay a fee toyour veterinarian for the pet passportand any necessary treatment.


ec.europa.eu/food/animal/liveanimals/pet/qanda_en.htm

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Helping consumers to help themselves

‘How does the EU take care of my consumer rights?’

Ellen lives in Germany, but her son, Frank, is about to go to France for one year to study. Ellenwants Frank to have some financial security in case of problems and is considering taking outa credit card for him.

‘I want him to have access to money if he needs it, but I also know that young people facea lot of pressure these days to always have the latest consumer goods. How do youngpeople learn to be responsible consumers?’

The EU works hard to ensure thatpeople are more aware of their rights

and that they can make moreinformed decisions as consumers.

Helping teenagers becomeinformed consumers

The Europa Diary, published by theCommission, is a school diary aimedat students between the ages of 15and 18. Over 1 million copies havebeen used by 9 000 schools acrossthe EU, helping young people be-come more aware of their rights, increa-sing their awareness and enablingthem to make more informed deci-sions as consumers. It exists in 20languages and has been adapted tonational legislation and culture in allEU countries.

Further information:ec.europa.eu/consumers/cons_info/consumer_diary_en.htm

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Training courses for staff ofconsumer organisations

The Commission organises trainingcourses for personnel of consumerorganisations in management, lob-bying and European consumer law.These courses are given by professio-nals and are open to personnel ofconsumer organisations in the 27 EUcountries and several other Europeancountries. Their aim is to enable staffto help consumers across the EUbecome more aware of their rightsthroughout Europe.

Further information:www.trace-beuc.org

Education online

In 2006, the Commission launchedthe Dolceta website. Dolceta(‘Development of online consumereducation tools for adults’) is a one-stop shop for consumers to find outabout issues ranging from price label-ling and settling disputes to mort-gages and managing a family budget.

You can browse at Dolceta at the fol-lowing address and also find out moreabout all the other issues mentionedin this booklet, and much more:www.dolceta.eu

European Commission


Europe on the move series

Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities

2007 — 22 pp. — 16.2 x 22.9 cm

ISBN 92-79-03538-X

In the European Union, you can shop wherever you like in the hunt for the best goods and services atthe lowest prices, without having to bother with customs, taxes or, in the euro area, exchange rates.

The number of people shopping across borders and over the Internet is growing all the time. The EUaims to make sure that your rights as a consumer are protected, wherever you decide to shop.

EUROPEAN COMMISSIONREPRESENTATIONS

Representation in Ireland18 Dawson Street, Dublin 2Tel. (353-1) 634 11 11Fax (353-1) 634 11 12Internet: www.euireland.ieE-mail: [email protected]

Representation in the United Kingdom8 Storey’s Gate, London SW1P 3ATTel. (44-20) 79 73 19 92Fax (44-20) 79 73 19 00/10Internet: www.ec.europa.eu/uk

Representation in Wales2 Caspian Point, Caspian Way, CardiffCF10 4QQTel. (44-29) 20 89 50 20Fax (44-29) 20 89 50 35Internet: www.ec.europa.eu/uk

Representation in Scotland9 Alva Street, Edinburgh EH2 4PHTel. (44-131) 225 20 58Fax (44-131) 226 41 05Internet: www.ec.europa.eu/uk

Representation in Northern IrelandWindsor House9/15 Bedford Street, Belfast BT2 7EGTel. (44-28) 90 24 07 08Fax (44-28) 90 24 82 41Internet: www.ec.europa.eu/uk

Go onlineInformation in all the official languages of the European Union is available on the Europawebsite: europa.eu

Visit usAll over Europe there are hundreds of local EU information centres. You can find the address of the centre nearest you on this website: europedirect.europa.eu

Call or write to usEurope Direct is a service which answers your questions about the European Union. You cancontact this service by freephone: 00 800 6 7 8 9 10 11, or by payphone from outside the

EU: (32-2) 299 96 96, or by electronic mail via europedirect.europa.eu

Read about EuropePublications about the EU are only a click away on the EU Bookshop website:bookshop.europa.eu

Other information on the European Union

There are European Commission and Parliament representations and offices in all the countries of the European Union.

The European Commission also has delegations in other parts of the world.

You can also obtain information and booklets in English about the European Union from:

Representation in the United States2300 M Street, NW — 3rd floorWashington DC 20037Tel. (202) 862 95 00Fax (202) 429 17 66Internet: www.eurunion.org

222 East 41st Street, 20th floorNew York, NY 10017Tel. (212) 371 38 04Fax (212) 688 10 13Internet: www.eurunion.org

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT OFFICES

Office in IrelandEuropean Union House43 Molesworth Street, Dublin 2Tel. (353-1) 605 79 00 Fax (353-1) 605 79 99Internet: www.europarl.ieE-mail: [email protected]

United Kingdom Office2, Queen Anne’s Gate, London SW1H 9AATel. (44-20) 72 27 43 00Fax (44-20) 72 27 43 02Internet: www.europarl.org.ukE-mail: [email protected]

Office in ScotlandThe Tun, 4 Jackson’s Entry,Holyrood Road, Edinburgh EH8 8PJTel. (44-131) 557 78 66Fax (44-131) 557 49 77Internet: www.europarl.org.ukE-mail: [email protected]

May 2007

The European Union

Member states of the European Union

Candidate countries

In the European Union, you can shop whereveryou like in the hunt for the best goods and services at the lowest prices, without having tobother with customs, taxes or, in the euro area,exchange rates.

The number of people shopping across borders andover the Internet is growing all the time. The EUaims to make sure that your rights as a consumerare protected, wherever you decide to shop.

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EUROPIAN UNION CONSUMER RIGHTS

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