Alternative Dispute Resolution
Alternative dispute resolution is the possibility that all consumers have at their disposal to appeal to official entities that can help them in the resolution, or guidance of any conflict. The Online Dispute Resolution website is an official website run by the European Commission dedicated to helping consumers and traders to resolve their disputes outside the courts: https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/odr/main/index.cfm?event=main.home.chooseLanguage
Customers who are defined as consumers by Law 144/2015 and who have celebrated a purchase and sale and / or provision of services contracts, have the right to use official entities to assist them in resolving any conflict concerning such contracts, without prejudice to the use of judicial courts. The updated list of Alternative Dispute Resolution entities available under the terms of article 17 of Law no. 144/2015, of 8 September, are listed on the Consumer Portal, accessible through the website www.consumidor.pt. For more information you can also consult the Law 144/2015. We also inform you that, to settle disputes that originate from online purchases, you can use a resolution system, called “ODR Platform - Online Dispute Resolution / RLL”, created by the EU.
In any case, you can contact one of the centers designated below.
Alternative Dispute Resolution Entities:
CNIACC – Centro Nacional de Informação e Arbitragem de Conflitos de Consumo
http://www.arbitragemdeconsumo.org
CIMAAL - Centro de Informação, Mediação e Arbitragem de Conflitos de Consumo do Algarve
http://www.arbitragemdeconsumo.org
Centro de Arbitragem de Conflitos de Consumo do Distrito de Coimbra
http://www.centrodearbitragemdecoimbra.com
Centro de Arbitragem de Conflitos de Consumo de Lisboa
http://www.centroarbitragemlisboa.pt
Centro de Informação de Consumo e Arbitragem do Porto
Centro de Arbitragem de Conflitos de Consumo do Vale do Ave / Tribunal Arbitral
European Online Dispute Resolution Platform:
https://ec.europa.eu/consumers/odr/main/index.cfm?event=main.home.chooseLanguage