The alternative dispute resolution is the possibility that all consumers have at their disposal to resort to official entities that help them in the resolution, or guidance of any conflict, before opening litigation in the courts.
Customers who are defined as consumers by Law 144/2015 and who have entered into contracts for the purchase and sale and / or provision of services are entitled to resort to official entities to assist them in resolving any conflict which has as its object such contracts, without prejudice to resorting to the Courts.
The updated list of Alternative Dispute Resolution entities available under article 17 of Law 144/2015, of September 8, are listed on the Consumer Portal, accessible through the website www.consumidor.pt. For further information you may also consult Law 144/2015. We further inform you that in order to settle disputes arising from online purchases, you may resort to a resolution system called the "ODR Platform - Online Dispute Resolution/ ODR", created by the EU.
You can access this platform through the electronic site: Online Dispute Resolution In any case, you can contact one of the centers designated below.
Entities for Alternative Dispute Resolution:
Centro Nacional de Informação e Arbitragem de Conflitos de Consumo (CNIACC)
Centro de Arbitragem de Conflitos de Consumo da Região de Coimbra (CACRC)
Centro de Arbitragem de Conflitos de Consumo de Lisboa (CACCL)
Centro de Arbitragem da Universidade Autónoma de Lisboa (CAUAL)
Centro de Arbitragem de Conflitos de Consumo da Região Autónoma da Madeira (CACC RAM)
Centro de Informação de Consumo e Arbitragem do Porto (CICAP)
Centro de Arbitragem de Conflitos de Consumo do Ave, Tâmega e Sousa (TRIAVE)
Centro de Informação, Mediação e Arbitragem de Consumo (Tribunal Arbitral de Consumo) (CIAB)
Centro de Informação, Mediação e Arbitragem do Algarve (CIMAAL)