The competence of the ECC-Net depends on your place of residence. The ECC Germany can only act if you are resident in Germany. The aim of the ECC-Net is to work quickly and efficiently. That is why there is a European Consumer Centre in every EU Member State, Iceland and Norway. In addition, the ECC-Net cooperates with the International Consumer Centre in the United Kingdom. If you do not live in Germany, please contact the ECC in your country of residence, where our colleagues will be happy to advise you.
Unfortunately, consumers who live outside the EU, Iceland, Norway or the UK cannot contact us. You can find consumer protection organisations worldwide here: Consumers International or Resolve a dispute | ICPEN.
Further information about our work can be found on our website.
As an ECC, our remit is limited to extrajudicial action, and we have no enforcement or prosecution powers. We are also not a public authority. If you believe you have been a victim of fraud or any other criminal offence, you should report it immediately to your local police station or public prosecutor's office. In some federal states, it is also possible to file a report online: Onlinewachen der Polizeien der Länder – Offizielles Portal.
Please note that reports are used for possible investigations and prosecutions but do not enable you to settle your individual dispute (e.g. repayment of the amount paid). You should also contact your bank or payment service provider to reverse any payments if this is still possible.
The ECC exclusively offers out-of-court dispute resolution for consumers. This is intended to avoid the need for lengthy and costly legal proceedings. If your case is already being handled by a solicitor, in court, or by an alternative dispute resolution body, we cannot act on the same matter at the same time.
You can find information on the European Order for Payment Procedure and the European Small Claims Procedure on our website.
The ECC helps consumers. If you purchased a product or service for business purposes, please contact the Enterprise Europe Network or a solicitor. Entrepreneurs and self-employed individuals based in Germany who concluded the contract online can contact the eCommerce Liaison Office.
First, always contact the retailer in writing (for example, by email) to give them the opportunity to offer a solution. We require proof of this correspondence in order to process your request. If you have not received a response or solution after three weeks, we will be happy to assist you further.
After contacting the company, please allow for at least four weeks for a response. If you have not received a response or solution within this timeframe, you can submit your complaint to us. The same applies if your complaint has been rejected. If the deadline has not yet expired, please contact us later. The same applies if you have initiated buyer protection or chargeback proceedings, and these have not yet been completed. Please inform us of the outcome of such a procedure.
Before the ECC Germany can act, you must have attempted to resolve the issue with the company yourself. To process your case, we require proof that you have contacted the company (via email, letter or form), and you must keep a copy of this correspondence. If you do not yet have this proof, please obtain it before filling out the form. Without this proof, we cannot process your request.
However, if you do not have such proof for understandable reasons, please let us know.
Only contact us if you have received a negative response from the company, or if at least four weeks have passed since you last contacted them and you have not heard back.
If you have not received a response or solution within four weeks, we will be happy to help.
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