General information on Alternative Dispute Resolution for Consumers

Alternative Dispute Resolution (RAL) covers mediation, conciliation and arbitration. ADR entities are those authorized to mediate, conciliate and arbitrate consumer disputes in Portugal and must be registered on the list of RAL entities provided for in Law 144/2015.

Published on September 8, Law 144/2015 approved the new legal framework for alternative (out-of-court) resolution mechanisms for consumer disputes, creating the Consumer Arbitration Network in Portugal and establishing a duty to inform companies that supply goods or services of the existence of existing Alternative Dispute Resolution Centers applicable to the sector in which the companies operate.

Consumers should always contact the supplier of the goods or the service provider first to try to resolve the problem.

In the event of a dispute, the consumer can turn to an Alternative Dispute Resolution Body: