Litigation

General information regarding Alternative Consumer Dispute Resolution

Alternative Consumer Dispute Resolution (ADR) includes mediation, conciliation, and arbitration. ADR entities are entities authorised to mediate, conciliate, and arbitrate consumer disputes in Portugal, and they must be registered in the list of ADR entities provided for by Law No. 144/2015.

Published on September 8th, Law 144/2015 approved the new legal framework for alternative (out-of-court) consumer dispute resolution mechanisms, creating in Portugal the Consumer Arbitration Network and establishing an obligation for companies supplying goods or providing services to inform consumers about the existence of Alternative Dispute Resolution Centres available and applicable to the sector in which the companies operate.

The consumer should always first contact the supplier of the good or the service provider to try to resolve the issue.

In case of a dispute, the consumer may resort to an Alternative Consumer Dispute Resolution Entity:

CIAC CB - Information and Arbitration Centre of Castelo Branco;
CNIACC - National Centre for Consumer Information and Arbitration of Consumer Disputes;
Or:
European Online Dispute Resolution Platform.

More information on the Consumer Portal.