Charged with informing consumers about European consumer law and assisting them in settling cross-border consumer disputes, the European Consumer Centre Luxembourg (ECC Luxembourg) had a busy year in 2024. In its annual balance sheet, it reports two new records: one for the number of cases it handled, the other for the amount it recovered for consumers.
ECC Luxembourg was able to assist consumers in 4,556 cases, says a press release. This figure is up sharply on the two previous years: 4,190 cases in 2023 and 4,112 in 2022. Among the cases handled, 3,594 consumers residing in Luxembourg sought the group’s help after a dispute with a trader based in another European Union country. Conversely, 962 European consumers reported a dispute with a trader established in Luxembourg.
The total amount recovered, €942,490, is also a record. This number represents what ECC Luxembourg got back for consumers in cases where the organisation helped them recover money from a trader or defend themselves against an unjustified claim from a trader. The sum exceeds those of previous years, namely €779,500 in 2023 and €568,100 in 2022.
New management
“With figures on the rise and new records set, our commitment to European consumers is clear,” comments ECC Luxembourg director Thomas Segrétain, who last November, succeeding Karin Basenach. “Thanks to a highly committed team and cooperation with all the members of the ECC-Net, we have been able to support even more consumers and offer them the expertise they need to defend their rights.”
In 2024, the centre also answered 2,931 consumer questions and handled 1,625 cross-border disputes. For the latter, ECC Luxembourg succeeded in finding an “amicable” solution in 59% of cases.
Air transport remains the leading cause of dispute, accounting for 17% of complaints handled in 2024. Next come purchases and repairs of second-hand vehicles (5%) and home maintenance and upkeep (3%).
“We also note that the sellers involved are mainly based in Germany, France and the Netherlands,” says ECC Luxembourg in its report.
This article in French.