20 Years ECC-Net: Local ECC Highlights - Part 1

Highlights through the years

National information campaign for young consumers

ECC Romania's team has focused on educating and informing consumers of all ages, some more accustomed to using technology, others less so, their generations not being marked by the existence of these possibilities. 

In the 17 years of its existence, ECC Romania has developed a real tradition of organising, every year, meetings with pupils and students from all over the country, studying various subjects, including consumer protection. During the meetings, we presented our work and the possibilities to support them when they need it, and we wanted to share with them the latest elements of European legislation so that areas of interest to them, such as online commerce and guarantees, video games or booking tourist services, for example, do not present hidden traps or risks. 

Throughout this period, we have met over 10,000 young people across Romania, who have become more informed, involved and aware of their rights as consumers. 

We used the most diverse means of information, from classic presentations and presentations with other partners to games, competitions and creative workshops.

The campaign to educate the younger generation of consumers will continue in 2025, when ECC Romania will run it under the Young in Europe'' name. It started in the week before World Consumer Rights Day with presentations, competitions and role plays and will continue until the end of the year.

National information campaign for seniors

Another category of consumers that we have been targeting in the last 3 years is seniors, people over 65, who are not using technology in their daily lives, but who, by force of circumstance, have to learn to use it. 

Each year, we have been meeting with seniors in Bucharest and Craiova, and in 2025 we will be reaching out to those in Timisoara and Cluj. 

During these seminars, our team introduces seniors to the services that ECC Romania offers to consumers, exposes the potential dangers behind some of the online transactions that can fool an inexperienced consumer, and supports them in practical computer sessions for those who want to use technology for online purchases, but do not have the necessary information. 

We are glad that in this way we are helping to reduce the number of citizens in this age group falling prey to online traps, and we are glad to be of use and closer to more parents or grandparents.

'Trips and tips for consumers' Caravan

In each of its 17 years of existence, the ECC Romania team has been in Romania's international airports, in the main train and bus stations, as well as at the most important traditional events for our country, so that through direct advice, presentations and informative and promotional materials we have been able to offer consumers in transit advice and recommendations on some of the situations they may encounter when traveling. 

One such campaign is the 'Trips and tips for consumers' Caravan in 2017, in which the ECC Romania team travelled by van over 2,000 km for a week, passing through and stopping in the cities of Timișoara, Arad, Oradea, Cluj, Alba Iulia and Sibiu, so that our message reached consumers in a new and appealing way. On our way, we stopped at important events for Romania, such as the Transilvania International Film Festival, where we distributed information material to Romanian and foreign visitors, or at Bonțida Castle, where we carried out educational activities with children, visitors to the site. In addition , there were meetings with the local press in each of the cities we stopped in, where we promoted the services provided by ECC Romania and gave advice to consumers in various areas of interest, thus managing to pass on information to tens of thousands of consumers.

In its 17 years of activity, ECC Romania has collected a considerable number of settled complaints, provided an impressive number of consumer advice, reached thousands of consumers of all ages, but by far the greatest achievements are the joy of consumers who have been compensated, the messages of thanks received from consumers, and the satisfaction of being able to help them solve their problems. 

Here are some messages of thanks from consumers:

"I appreciate the involvement and professionalism of ECC Romania, which facilitated the successful resolution of my claim for compensation for flight delay compensation operated by a foreign airline. The decision to turn to ECC Romania was a fortunate one because, after an initial refusal by the company to grant compensation, ECC's perseverance finally led to a favourable outcome."

"I am convinced that if I had not turned to ECC Romania I would still not have received an answer (or the money owed) from the airline. I can confidently recommend ECC Romania to anyone who finds themselves in a similar situation - or any situation related to the non-respect of European consumer rights. Thank you, ECC Romania! "

"Thank you to the ECC Romania team for their professional handling of my complaint. We need such a body to defend the rights of Romanian consumers."

Highlights through the years

Cooperation within the ECC-Net 
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.

Two decades of help and support for consumers at ECC Germany

For the past 20 years, ECC Germany has been a guiding hand for European consumers, providing information, mediation and advocacy. One of many compelling cases we handled over the decades was about a disrupted trip of a dance club to New York. It illustrates the requests we receive daily and stands out for the amount recovered:

€30,000 recovered for travel group: ECC Germany uphold consumer rights after denied boarding

A dance teacher from Luxembourg booked a special dance holiday in New York for her class. The five adults and 43 young dancers arrived at the German airport on time, but were stopped by airline staff. Each passenger’s details were checked again, delaying the group until they were ultimately denied boarding. Meanwhile, other passengers on the same flight were allowed to board. The group was eventually rebooked on two other flights. The travellers arrived in America up to a day late and missed an important part of their dance course. The airline also failed to meet its legal obligations to provide assistance, such as meals or accommodation. When the dance teacher complained, the airline blamed bad weather and claimed that the plane had actually never taken off. It was easy to prove otherwise. ECC Germany contacted the German airline on behalf of the group and secured around €30,000 in additional costs and compensation for the delayed arrival.

Beyond direct intervention: powerful self-help tools for smart consumer decisions

As well as intervening on behalf of consumers, ECC Germany offers a range of self-help tools. For those facing common problems with traders across Europe, ECC Germany provides a range of practical resources, including various template letters, online guides and apps. These are designed to help consumers try to find their solution before contacting us for further assistance. Our web-based 'Complain Successfully' and 'Drive Abroad' apps provide essential legal guidance on warranty rights and travel information for motorists. In addition, our 'click tool' helps consumers know their rights when travelling by train. A self-help tool provides further information on a wide range of consumer issues.  We remain curious and continue to develop new ideas to meet consumer needs.

Multi-channel communication to reach German consumers

ECC Germany embraces a multi-channel communication approach to make consumer protection engaging and accessible. Our podcast, “'Help, my toaster is on fire'” (“'Hilfe, mein Toaster brennt!”'), ran from 2021 to 2023, with 54 entertaining and informative episodes on consumer rights, which are still available on different online platforms and continue to attract consumers. Meanwhile, our YouTube channel '“Scammed? Do this!”' ("'AWT - Abzocke, was tun?'"), launched in 2023, is dedicated to raising awareness about scams, dubious business practices and traps to watch out for.

With these initiatives, we continue to make consumer protection more accessible, practical, and fun! Prevention and information are at the heart of what we do. In 2024 alone, our website (evz.de) attracted over 2 million visits, and ECC Germany was cited in the press more than 14,000 times. In addition to its relations with national media, ECC Germany regularly produces media content such as press releases, social media posts or videos for the whole ECC Network.

When it comes to special events, we look back fondly on our Facebook Live sessions during the pandemic. In 2020, our legal experts used the account of the European Commission Representation in Germany to answer hundreds of questions from consumers in real time via live chats on social media - bringing expert advice directly to those who needed it most at a time when many services were on hold.

More recently, ECC Germany participated in Berlin's Green Week 2024 - one of Germany's oldest trade fairs and a global benchmark for the food and agriculture industry, attracting over 300,000 visitors.

A trusted expert in European consumer policy 

As a recognised expert in European consumer issues, we have had the honour to welcome many guests at our offices in Kehl! Since 2007, we have had the privilege of meeting every EU Commissioner responsible for consumer protection. Meglena Kuneva, John Dalli, Neven Mimica, Vera Jourova and Didier Reynders - they all have stopped by our office and only structure hosting two ECCs, where we work next door with our French colleagues. Perhaps that is no coincidence, as we are located just a few minutes away from the European Parliament in Strasbourg.

Over the years, ECC Germany has become a trusted expert on European consumer issues, also for national politicians. The ECC has participated in public consultations on:

• the EU Passenger Rights Regulations
• the EU Geoblocking Regulation
• the ex-post evaluation of the Consumer Programme 2014-2020
• the Mid-Term Evaluation of the Single Market Programme 2021-2027 Stakeholder Survey
• the European Commission’s proposals for multimodal travelling
• the EU Package Travel Regulation
• the EU Disability Card

Its expertise was requested for: 

• the European Commission’s consultation on the Digital Fairness Fitness Check for digital markets
• the right to repair in the EU
• a European survey concerning the proposal for regulation of online platforms intermediating short-term accommodation rental services

The German ministry in charge of consumer protection sought, inter alia, our opinion on:

• problems and discrimination faced by consumers on the internal market
• consumer protection and fair competition on the single market

These are just some of the important exchanges we have had with policy makers at national and European level, where we have done our best to serve the interests of European consumers. ECC Germany continues to shape policy and make consumers’ voices be heard at both national and EU level.

20 years of consumer advocacy

In its early stages, ECC Italy focused on building authority, trust, and recognition among stakeholders by providing expertise, insights on consumer issues and EU law, and policy recommendations. It organised numerous conferences and published a significant number of consumer guides, case studies, and contributions to academic publications on Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR).  A relevant achievement was that in 2007 and 2009, ECC Italy was invited to contribute a chapter to the legal handbook on consumer law. Il nuovo diritto dei consumatori, published by Giappichelli — one of the most renowned legal publishers. The chapter, titled 'La tutela transfrontaliera del consumatore' (Cross-border Consumer Protection), explored EU legislation and its application. Additionally, ECC Italy authored the chapter 'La conciliazione in ambito transfrontaliero' (Cross-border Mediation) for the legal handbook Conciliare Conviene, published by Maggioli Editore. Both texts were adopted by law faculties at several universities.

ECC Italy, a pioneer in air passenger rights protection - A European best practice

Over its 20 years of activity, ECC Italy has achieved significant milestones in consumer rights protection. A particularly noteworthy initiative was the establishment of airport information desks in Italy, launched in 2009 in collaboration with the Italian NEB ENAC, and the Italian airport handling companies’ association Assaeroporti. This initiative, aimed at informing air passengers on their rights, was highly successful, so much so that in 2011, it led to the first ECC-Net Day dedicated to air passenger rights at 27 European airports. ECC-Net Italy coordinated the entire action, created a devoted logo and maintained contact with all institutional stakeholders and media. The success of the initiative led the DG JUST in cooperation with DG MOVE to replicate it at the European level in 2012, taking direct coordination. This example demonstrates ECC Italy's commitment and effectiveness in promoting and protecting consumer rights, with an initiative that has had a significant impact at both national and European levels, serving as a model for wider implementation.

ECC Italy's viral video: A pan-European success story

In the digital age, effective communication is paramount. ECC Italy produced an engaging promotional video, designed to demystify its role and illustrate how it provides assistance to consumers. Its success resonated far beyond Italy's borders. The video's clear, concise, and approachable style effectively communicated the work of ECC-Net, making it accessible to a broad audience. The European Commission recognised its potential, and the video was translated and produced in all languages of ECC-Net, thus becoming a corporate tool for promoting the Network’s activities across Europe. This wide-scale adoption highlights the video's ability to effectively convey the ECC-Net's mission and services, as it not only informs but also inspires. It's a shining example of how a well-crafted digital asset can become a vital tool for a pan-European organisation, fostering trust and understanding among consumers throughout the continent.

Protecting consumers from unwanted renewals: the triumph of Article 65-bis

For two decades, ECC Italy has been at the forefront of championing consumer rights, and another significant milestone in our journey is the successful advocacy that led to the introduction of Article 65-bis of the Italian Consumer Code in 2023. Recognising the widespread issue of consumers being trapped in automatically renewing service contracts, often without clear and timely information, ECC Italy took decisive action. Our proposals, grounded in the principles of transparency and fairness, highlighted the need for stronger legal safeguards. We emphasised the importance of:

• Clear and timely pre-renewal notifications
  Ensuring consumers are fully aware of upcoming contract expirations and renewal options.
• Empowering the right to cancel
  Providing a robust mechanism for consumers to exit contracts when proper information is not provided.

Through persistent advocacy and collaboration with policymakers, ECC Italy played a pivotal role in shaping and securing the adoption of Article 65-bis. This landmark legislation has significantly strengthened consumer protection, preventing unexpected financial burdens and promoting informed decision-making. This achievement stands as a testament to ECC Italy's unwavering commitment to empowering consumers and fostering a fair and transparent marketplace. As we celebrate 20 years of service, we remain dedicated to protecting consumer rights and ensuring a brighter future for all.

ECC Bulgaria has been helping consumers since 2008. The Centre is a part of ECC-Net – a European network that celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. Being part of this network means learning from others, working across borders, and sharing one common goal: to make sure consumers feel supported when something goes wrong in the Single Market.

Partnering for impact

Thanks to their long-standing cooperation with the European Commission Representation in Sofia, ECC Bulgaria has participated in several information tours in big and small cities over the years. The face-to-face conversations during these tours have proven to be a great way to connect with people who might not otherwise have heard of the European Consumer Centre and its services.

To be even closer to consumers, ECC Bulgaria regularly organises information stands at airports and in various towns across the country. These are designed to meet people where they are – whether they’re about to board a flight or simply passing by the town square – and to offer them practical advice on their rights when shopping or travelling in the EU.

Talking about travellers

ECC Bulgaria also hosted a roundtable on passenger rights with representatives of the Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport of the European Commission, media, consumer organisations, and other stakeholders. Travelling can be stressful enough, so it is very important for travellers to know their rights (and be able to use them). The event received significant media attention and opened up valuable conversations.

Sharing and learning – together with colleagues

In 2018, the Cooperation Days were organised by ECC Bulgaria, and in 2024, they partnered with ECC Germany to host a Communication Workshop in Sofia. The goal of both events was to bring together colleagues from the entire network in Bulgaria. Participants shared ideas, challenges, and solutions, while also discussing how the Centres can communicate even more effectively — externally and internally. These moments contributed to the growth of both the team and the network.

Supporting the next generation

By participating in a joint internship initiative with other European networks, ECC Bulgaria introduced young professionals to the work of consumer centres and encouraged them to consider a career in the European networks or consumer protection. The initiative was refreshing and inspiring, both for the trainees and for the staff involved.

In addition, ECC Bulgaria regularly visits schools and universities, where team members deliver interactive lectures about consumer rights in the EU. These sessions often include simulated online shopping experiences, helping students better understand how to protect themselves as digital consumers.

Staying connected – every day

ECC Bulgaria has developed a strong presence on social media, which plays a key role in its daily communication with the public. Through Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, the Centre shares useful tips, case studies, and current topics, reaching thousands of people every year. Its website also continues to be a trusted source of consumer information and practical advice.

What makes the difference? The team

This may be their most important achievement. The core team of ECC Bulgaria has been working together for over five years. Over time, they have solved many cases, dealt with complex situations, and learned from each other. Some consumers call them "friends", others – half-jokingly – "therapists." The team listens, explains, and makes people feel heard.

Behind the scenes, they support and complement each other by sharing ideas, challenges, and – just as important – lots of laughter and friendship.