Recognising consumers as essential, responsible economic agents in the Internal Market is one of the key principles of European consumer policy. Consumers should be empowered to make informed choices about the goods and services that they purchase.
Their interests should be promoted and defended, particularly in view of the increasing complexity of the markets in which they operate. The scope and size of markets has grown enormously over the last few years, not least due to the introduction of the Euro, the development ofe-Commerce and increased intra-EU mobility. Besides benefiting businesses, the EU’s Internal Market is also about giving consumers widerchoice and better value for money. This means that consumers must have the confidence to seek out the best deals anywhere in Europe.
The European Consumer Centres Network (ECC-Net) is an EU-wide network to promote consumer confidence by advising citizens on their rights as consumers in the EU and helping them to solve disputes.These Centres can advise you about your rights when you shop across borders and help you seek redress if you have a dispute with a trader in another EU country.
