Consumer Protection

# Out-of-court proceedings and dispute arbitration

Arbitration need not be a detour in dispute resolution; rather, it can lead directly to a solution. Court proceedings are often time-consuming, expensive and stressful. Arbitration may avoid many of the risks and inconveniences of a court trial.

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Consumer rights and guarantees related to buying goods and services, including procedures for consumer dispute resolution and compensation

If you have a dispute with your telecommunications provider, you can contact the Federal Network Agency's Telecommunications Arbitration Board under certain conditions. It can help to settle the dispute without having to go to court.

If you are unable to reach an agreement in a dispute with a postal company, the Federal Network Agency can mediate under certain conditions.

Are you in dispute with a bank or financial services company? Then under certain circumstances you can turn to the arbitration board of the Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin).

If you experience impairments or disadvantages in your daily life at the hands of federal authorities, for example due to a lack of accessibility, you can call on the conciliation body. Accessibility means, for example, that you can use buildings, means of transport or information processing systems without major difficulties and without outside assistance. If you experience impairments in your daily life at federal public offices because accessibility has not been sufficiently developed, you can turn to the conciliation board under the Equal Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities Act. The conciliation board mediates in disputes on the subject of accessibility between persons with disabilities and federal public agencies. The conciliation board is independent. The mediators are responsible for conducting the proceedings in an impartial and fair manner. The mediators and the employees of the office are bound to secrecy.

Sie befinden sich in einem Verwaltungsverfahren mit dem Eisenbahn-Bundesamt (EBA) und benötigen Einsicht in Ihre Verfahrensunterlagen? Dann können Sie Akteneinsicht beim EBA beantragen.

These Assistance Services support you in exercising your rights and fulfilling your duties in the European internal market.

Contact point for online dispute resolution. Your national contact point for disputes with a company in another country of the EU.

The European Consumer Centre (ECC) Germany is your contact point if you have any questions about your rights in Europe or have a dispute with a company based in another EU country, Iceland or Norway. We will help all consumers free of charge.