Dispute Resolution
ALTERNATIVE RESOLUTION OF CONSUMER DISPUTES
Law No. 144/2015 of September 8th transposed Directive 2013/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of May 21st, 2013, on alternative dispute resolution for consumer disputes.
The aforementioned diploma establishes the legal framework for Alternative Consumer Dispute Resolution mechanisms, creating the Consumer Arbitration Network in Portugal.
What are consumer disputes?
These are disputes initiated by a consumer against a supplier of goods or service provider, which concern contractual obligations resulting from sales and purchase or service provision contracts, concluded between a supplier of goods or service provider established and consumers resident in Portugal and the European Union (article 2, no. 1 of Law no. 144/2015).
What is RAL?
ADRs are mechanisms available to consumers and companies to try to resolve consumer disputes outside the courts, in a faster and less expensive way. ADRs include mediation, conciliation and arbitration. The ADR process begins with an attempt to reach an agreement through mediation or conciliation. However, if no such agreement is reached, the parties involved can still appeal to the Arbitration Court, through a simple and quick process.
When does this new regime apply?
Law No. 144/2015 of 8 September came into force on 23 September 2015, and suppliers of goods or service providers had 6 months from that date to adapt to this new regime. Therefore, since 23 March 2016, companies must have this information available to their consumers.
ATTENTION: Informing consumers about available RAL entities does not exempt suppliers of goods and service providers from providing consumers with the Complaints Book, which is mandatory under Decree-Law No. 156/2005, of 15 September.
In the event of a consumer dispute, the consumer may resort to a Consumer Dispute Resolution Entity:
CNIACC - National Center for Information and Arbitration of Consumer Conflicts
D. Afonso Henriques Street, 1
4700-030 Braga
CIMAAL - Algarve Consumer Conflict Information, Mediation and Arbitration Centre
Business Nest Building, room 26 - Estrada da Penha
8005-131 Faro
Consumer Conflict Arbitration Center of the District of Coimbra
Fernão Magalhães Avenue, No. 240, 1st floor
3000-172 Coimbra
www.centrodearbitragemdecoimbra.com
Lisbon Consumer Conflict Arbitration Center
Douradores Street, 116, 2nd floor
1100-207 Lisbon
Madeira Consumer Conflict Arbitration Center
Rua Direita, No. 27, 1st Floor
9050-405 Funchal
Porto Consumer Information and Arbitration Center
31 Damião de Gois Street – Shop 6
4050-225 Porto
Vale do Ave Consumer Conflict Arbitration Center / Arbitration Court
Captain Alfredo Guimarães Street, No. 1
4800-019 Guimarães
Consumer Information, Mediation and Arbitration Center (Consumer Arbitration Court)
BRAGA: Rua D Afonso Henriques, nº 1 (Ed. Sé Parish Council)
4700 - 030 Braga
VIANA DO CASTELO: Rocha Paris Avenue, nº 103 (Vila Rosa Building)
4900 - 394 Viana do Castelo
Arbitration Center of the Autonomous University of Lisbon
Santa Marta Street No. 43 E, 1st Floor
1150-293 Lisbon
The customer may attempt to resolve any consumer dispute out of court through the “Electronic Online Dispute Resolution Platform” (provided by the European Commission), accessible at ec.europa.eu/consumers/odr .
You may also resort to any other Alternative Consumer Dispute Resolution Entity. The updated list of Alternative Consumer Dispute Resolution Entities is available on the “Consumer Portal”, at www.consumidor.gov.pt .
Alternative Dispute Resolution prepared on April 24, 2025.