20 Years ECC Finland

AI Study Visit in Helsinki

In June 2025, we hosted an AI Study Visit for five other ECCs (LU, AT, BE, DE, SE) at our office in Helsinki. We shared our AI experiences, lessons learned, and ideas on how we can leverage AI in our daily work for the benefit of our Network and European consumers. We discussed concrete tools and national pilot projects, as well as strategic choices and the profound shifts that AI will bring to our work life and data processing in general. We had also colleagues from the European Commission / DG Just and from our host, the Finnish Competition and Consumer Authority join us to maximize the agenda. From the beginning of 2025 we have also been a member in the ECC-Net’s AI working group, coordinated by ECC Belgium.

Cooperation within the ECC Network

As a network of 29 ECCs across Europe, we work together daily for the benefit of European consumers and other stakeholders. ECC Finland has been an active participant in working groups, information sharing, and discussions aimed at improving our case handling, communication and cooperation within the ECC-Net. ECC meetings serve as one platform to foster collaboration.  

One of our highlights has been organising and hosting ECC-Net’s annual meeting, the Cooperation Days, in Helsinki in 2019, coinciding with the Finnish EU Presidency. Another example of our long-term input has been designing and providing materials for a social media Christmas Calendar, which shares daily consumer tips throughout December. We have produced this calendar seven times for the Network. In 2024, a total of 17 ECCs participated by localising the materials and sharing them across 28 social media channels (Facebook, X, Instagram, and LinkedIn). This initiative is a fun way to raise awareness of consumer rights and enhance the visibility of our Network on social media.

Events for consumers 

We have engaged with consumers in Finland at some bigger events organised in collaboration with our host, the Finnish Competition and Consumer Authority, particularly at the Matka Nordic Travel Fair in 2014 and 2018. This travel fair is the largest in Northern Europe. Through the 2010s, ECC Finland also organised numerous smaller airport information events and a few ferry events to disseminate information on EU passenger rights. In the 2020s, we began participating annually in Europe Day’s large citizens' event held in the centre of Helsinki. This event provides an excellent opportunity to meet consumers, share information, and discuss current topics with our key stakeholders, as several other EU-related organisations, including the European Commission's representation in Finland and the European Parliament's Information Office in Finland, also participate.

Reaching new target groups

It is essential to ensure that our services and information about consumer rights are accessible not only to broader audiences but also to specific target groups. With this in mind, we have expanded our presence in new channels and created materials tailored to particular audiences. One example from the 2020s involved organising a 4 hour live-chat on the communications application Jodel ahead of Black Friday, in collaboration with national Consumer Advisory Services. This chat focused on identifying reliable online shops, understanding withdrawal rights, and answering consumer questions. Jodel is especially popular among students and young consumers, making it a perfect fit for our activities in 2022, which was designated the European Year of Youth. 

Another example is from 2024, when ECC Finland drafted and launched an easy-language section on its website. This section contains information on the rights of online shoppers and air passengers, as well as our services, presented in easy Finnish. A similar section in easy Swedish was launched in early 2025. Easy language can benefit groups such as individuals with cognitive disabilities, older people, and immigrants learning the language. The demand for easy language has increased in recent years due to the growing number of immigrants, declining literacy among young people, and an ageing population. The Finnish Centre for Easy Language has awarded the SELKO symbol to this section, indicating that its language and layout adhere to the principles of easy Finnish.

Want to know more about ECC-Net or ECC Finland?