ECC-Net’s Cooperation Day
Every year, the European Consumer Centres Network (ECC-Net) organises it’s so-called Cooperation Day. During this event, we foster our collaboration and mutual understanding, and share best practices to improve one of our goals: offer the EU consumers the best advice and assistance to solve their consumer complaints.
Hosted by ECC Belgium
The ECC in charge of the organisation of Cooperation Day depends on the presidency of the Council. This rotates among the EU member states every six months. During the first semester of 2024, Belgium holds the presidency of the Council of the EU. Therefore, this year it was ECC Belgium who was in charge of organising our annual event in Mechelen on 16 and 17 April 2024.
ECC-Net’s Cooperation Day ‘24: teamwork for an outstanding service
Cooperation Day 2024 was all about efficiency and teaming up for a greater service. Together, as we unite, our individual strengths combine to overcome challenges that may seem overwhelming alone. Through close cooperation, we surpass individual achievements and become a unified team, ready to shape an even brighter network. Embracing the teamwork spirit and finding efficient working methods to achieve an outstanding service was, therefore, the key assignment during this Cooperation Day.
3 workshops to align our processes
One of the pillars of ECC-Net is to assist consumers in resolving cross-border consumer complaints within the EU. To this extent, it is indispensable to align our work processes and team up for an improved service. Therefore, we organised three workshops in which we all could share our knowledge and discuss how we want to strengthen the role of the ECC:
- Enhancing case-handling efficiency
In our pursuit of consumer satisfaction, we engaged an external facilitator to guide our reflection on a pivotal question shaping our approach: how to meet consumer’s expectations? We assessed what consumers expect from ECC to align services with their needs. Balancing feasibility with ambition, we evaluated our capacity to meet consumer expectations, considering what we can achieve, what we can’t, and what we should aspire to accomplish. We aim for streamlined processes without compromising quality. We also took the time to explore strategies to save time for both consumers and traders, focusing on expedited resolution processes. - Monitoring our workload
In our business operations, effective case management is essential for maintaining productivity and ensuring a timely resolution of cases. During Cooperation Day, different ECCs shared their management dashboards to provide a comprehensive overview of case metrics, key performance indicators (KPIs), and trends. Tailoring dashboards to display relevant information empowers us to make informed decisions, prioritise tasks effectively, and identify areas for improvement. - Seeking redress through court procedures
In our commitment to consumer empowerment, we discussed the European Small Claims Procedure and its benefits. During this workshop, we focused on how we can empower consumers with essential knowledge to seek redress. We also explored ways to facilitate informed decision-making in resolving disputes. Engaging discussions and case studies encouraged participants to share their experiences, ask questions, and exchange insights with fellow attendees. During the session we fostered a collaborative learning environment and enhanced understanding of the practical implications of European Small Claims procedures.
Farewell Head of Unit Mrs. Benassi
Our beloved Head of Unit, Mrs. Benassi, retired after 12 years in this position. Ms Benassi was the dedicated head of Unit, Consumer Enforcement & Redress at DG JUST, European Commission. Her unwavering support and active involvement have been instrumental in our successes and growth as a network. Closing our Cooperation Day, we took a dedicated moment to honour her remarkable contribution to our Network, during a farewell event. We had a chance to express our gratitude and bid farewell to a leader who has truly made a difference in our work lives.
We are Europe
We attended the “We are Europe” exhibition of the Belgian photographer Lieve Blancquaert. Lieve is fascinated by the vibrant mix of people who show how colourful Europe is. This made her go on a road trip through Europe. She wanted to "hear and feel, in all those languages, what holds us together, and also where we don't understand each other at all." This tour resulted in a book and a photo exhibition in the Mechelen Cultural Centre entitled: We are Europe. The exhibition runs until 30 June 2024.
A valuable and inspiring experience
We look back on a great programme with many opportunities to share thoughts on how we can work together even more effectively and excel at meeting consumer's expectations. We are inspired by the 'We are Europe' exhibition and returned home with an array of valuable insights and ideas which we can incorporate in our daily work.