Consumer Rights

Basic Rights

  • The existence of a single European market gives you access to a wider range of products and services at competitive prices.
  • EU law enables you to buy safe products and services under clear conditions anywhere in the EU.
  • Remedies are available against unfair contract terms.

Giving Out Your Personal Data

Whenever you book a flight, apply for a job, use a credit card, or browse on the Internet, you disclose some personal data. When this happens, EU law protects you against unfair and unlawful use of this data. You have the right to:

  • Be informed when your data is collected or further used;
  • Access data about you;
  • Know the reasons on which automated decisions are based;
  • Lodge a complaint to the national supervisory authority.

Travel

  • See ‘Getting there’ section. EU law also gives you special protection in the area of package tours and timeshares.

Tax On Purchases

  • You can buy goods and services for your personal use under the same tax rules as apply to nationals of the country concerned, and take them home with you.
  • This does not apply to cars and there are limits on tobacco products and alcohol.

Insurance

  • You can apply for an insurance policy with any insurance company licensed to provide this type of policy in any EU country.
  • You can also apply for car insurance with any duly licensed insurance company from any EU country.

Financial Services: Disputes And Complaints

  • The EU single market in retail financial services gives European consumers a greater choice of financial products.
  • However, you may come across a problem with a firm in another EU country. If so, you should of course first try to resolve the dispute with the firm.
  • If there is still a dispute, then FIN-NET may be able to help. FIN-NET is an EU-wide out-of-court complaints network for financial services to help businesses and consumers resolve disputes in the EU single market fast and efficiently by avoiding, where possible, lengthy and expensive legal action. Website link: http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/finservices-retail/finnet/index_en.htm

Transferring Money To An Account In Another EU Country

  • The EU has made cross-border credit transfers faster, cheaper and more reliable.
  • Transfers are now based on the international bank account number (IBAN) and the bank identifier code (BIC). They enable your bank to process your payments ‘straight through’, without any costly and time-consuming manual handling.
  • Charges for cross-border transfers in euro using IBAN and BIC standards are the same as those for payments in euro within a single EU country — which of course does not mean that cross-border payments are free.
  • The same principle also applies to card payments and cash withdrawals.

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