The European Consumer Centres Network (ECC-Net) is celebrating its 15th anniversary in 2020. The anniversary will be observed with ‘theme months’, during which ECCs will highlight topics that are important to European consumers, particularly where e-commerce and travel are concerned. Examples of the themes include Sustainability, Guarantee & Withdrawal, Scam websites, Counterfeit and Air Passengers Rights. ECCs will distribute theme materials, for example, on social media channels and their websites starting on 13 January 2020.
The ECC offices in different countries are responsible for the various themes and produce theme-related materials for use by the entire ECC-Net (a total of 30 countries). Because the materials will be used by each country with emphasis and timing specifically relevant to it, the themes may differ slightly from country to country. Some of the materials will be in English. The common hashtag for social media is #15yearsECCNet.
Together with the German ECC office, the European Consumer Centre Finland (ECC Finland) is responsible for the December theme, which focuses on the entire ECC-Net and its work as well as consumer rights in the EU.
European Consumer Centre anniversary themes for 2020
(these will be further defined during the year as materials are completed)
- January: Sustainability (starting 13 January 2020)
- February: Find unfair deals
- March: Guarantee & Withdrawal
- April: Chargeback
- May: Package travel
- June: Counterfeit
- July: Air Passengers Rights
- August: Scam websites
- September: Enforcement
- October: E-commerce
- November: Geo-blocking
- December: ECC-Net
Free assistance and advice for consumers within the EU
The European Commission founded the European Consumer Centre Network (ECC-Net) in 2005 to provide assistance to EU consumers in dealing with cross-border trading problems within the single market as well as to increase consumer trust in the single market by sharing information on consumer protection and passenger rights within the EU. European Consumer Centres are found in all EU Member States, Norway and Iceland. ECC operations are funded by the Commission and member states. The ECC-Net receives over 100,000 consumer enquiries each year.
The ECC-Net began operating in Finland in 2005 as part of what was then the Finnish Consumer Authority. Today, ECC Finland is part of the Finnish Competition and Consumer Authority (FCCA). The ECC works in close co-operation with the Consumer Ombudsman and Consumer Advisory Service. In Finland, the ECC receives over 3,000 enquiries each year, primarily concerning situations in which a Finnish consumer has a problem with a company operating in another EU member state, Norway or Iceland. The most common enquiries concern e-commerce and air travel. More detailed statistics on 2019 will be published in January-February 2020.
Follow us also on social media:
Twitter: @eccfinland and @ecc_web
Facebook.com/euroopankuluttajakeskus