At the beginning of next year the European Commission will start a new service with the working name of the European Consumer Help Net. In Finland the new unit will operate in connection with the Consumer Agency. The units in different countries will form a network to promote and develop consumer protection in cross-border consumer transactions in the EU.
The Commission will merge the Euroguichet and Clearing House networks for this purpose. The former has focused on consumer advice and settling consumer disputes while the latter has made sure that consumers can present complaints in their own language and have disputes with traders settled out of court by an ADR (alternative dispute resolution) body in the member state where the purchase was made. The two networks have had partly overlapping tasks and merging them will clarify services for consumers.
European Consumer Centre in Helsinki will close The European Consumer Centre in Helsinki has operated as Finland's Euroguichet. As a result of the merger the European Consumer Centre will cease to operate in connection with the City of Helsinki.
The European Consumer Centre will operate in the City of Helsinki Environment Centre up to 9 December 2004 and will take calls on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 9-12 in the morning and on Tuesdays from 2-5 in the afternoon. After that date it will not serve customers at the Helsinki Environment Centre. In November and December consumers should call +358 9 7312 2920 at the above times instead of sending an e-mail.
New Help Net will operate under the Consumer Agency The new network will begin operating at the turn of the year and will be in full swing by 1 April 2005. During the transition period consumers can contact municipal consumer advice for general information on cross-border disputes. The Consumer Agency will continue to take care of Clearing House activities during the transition period.