# DECO, the Portuguese Association for Consumer Protection



## nandnjudge2

Some of you might not be aware of

DECO, the Portuguese Association for Consumer Protection, is an independent non-profit association with charity status. It is the largest consumer association in Portugal and possesses a 'Public Utility' status. Its main activities are: consumer information which it does by publishing test magazines and others publications such as guides and brochures of interest to consumers; consumer’s advice and support; alternative dispute resolution; consumer education in schools; professional training in consumer law; consumer representation and advocacy and lobbying. It is present through a nationwide network comprising six regional offices.

The URL of which is

Google Translate


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## Frank Wilson

I thought he was a Portuguese footballer


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## Algarve

nandnjudge2 said:


> Some of you might not be aware of
> 
> DECO, the Portuguese Association for Consumer Protection, is an independent non-profit association with charity status. It is the largest consumer association in Portugal and possesses a 'Public Utility' status. Its main activities are: consumer information which it does by publishing test magazines and others publications such as guides and brochures of interest to consumers; consumer’s advice and support; alternative dispute resolution; consumer education in schools; professional training in consumer law; consumer representation and advocacy and lobbying. It is present through a nationwide network comprising six regional offices.
> 
> The URL of which is
> 
> Google Translate


some other useful info for consumer rights
EUROPEAN COMMISSION
DIRECTORATE-GENERAL FOR HEALTH AND CONSUMER PROTECTION
Adviser to the Director-General 
CONSUMER POLICY
IN PORTUGAL

Instituto Nacional de Defesa do Consumidor
Praca Duque de Saldanha 31, 2°
P-1069-


Presidencia do Conselho de Ministros
Instituto do Consumidor
Praca Duque de Saldanha 31, 2°
P-1069-013

In Portugal the agency responsible is the Institudo do Consumidor (Consumer
Institute). It is attached to the Secretariat of State for Consumer Protection, for
which the Deputy Prime Minister is responsible. Consumer affairs also come under
the jurisdiction of the Council of Ministers Presidency. The Institute employs 90
officials and has an annual budget of nearly 4 million euro's

In Portugal, apart from FENACOOP (the federation of consumer cooperatives),
two consumer organisations of a general nature play an important role at national
level as regards consumer education and information and representation of
consumer interests. At regional level there are also a number of very active
associations 7.

.Section
9.2 Consumer access to justice and the settlement of consumer disputes in the
single market
Portugal's first pilot experiment in simplified access to justice for consumer
disputes was launched in Lisbon in 1989 with the creation of a permanent
arbitration tribunal.

Arbitration of Consumer Disputes of the City of Lisbon.
All the other general arbitration centres (Porto, Coimbra, Buimaràes and Braga)
and the specialised centres for vehicle-related disputes 
(Coimbra, Guimaràes, Porto, Braga) used the rules and procedures of the Lisbon
Centre as a benchmark.
The Justice Ministry and the Secretariat of State for Consumer Protection
presented the Lisbon model as a credible and recommended model for the creation
of the other consumer dispute arbitration centres, which had to be set up, in
principle, on the basis of agreements between the local authorities and the
consumer and trade associations.
Today, consumer associations are empowered to represent
All the other general arbitration centres (Porto, Coimbra, Buimaràes and Braga)
and the specialised centres for vehicle-related disputes set up at a later date
(Coimbra, Guimaràes, Porto, Braga) used the rules and procedures of the Lisbon
Centre as a benchmark.
The Justice Ministry and the Secretariat of State for Consumer Protection
presented the Lisbon model as a credible and recommended model for the creation
of the other consumer dispute arbitration centres, which had to be set up, in
principle, on the basis of agreements between the local authorities and the
consumer and trade associations.
Today, consumer associations are empowered to represent consumers' collective
interests vis-à-vis the tribunal, the Ministry and the Consumer Institute. Portugal
has the following arbitration centres for consumer disputes:
· Consumer Dispute Arbitration Centre, Lisbon;
· Consumer Dispute Arbitration Centre, Coimbra and Figueira da Foz;
· Consumer Information and Dispute Arbitration Centre, Porto;
· Consumer Information and Dispute Arbitration Centre, Braga;
· Consumer Dispute Arbitration Centre, Vale do Ave;
· Arbitration Centre for the Automobile Industry.

Portugal has a central register of court decisions relating to unfair terms in
contracts with consumers (Article 35 of Decree-Law No 220/95 of 31 August
1995), which is the responsibility of the European Law Department of the Justice
Ministry.
Portugal has also drawn up legislation on guarantees concerning the independe


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## siobhanwf

Deco is a site well worth looking at. You can also contribute a small amout per month and receive their magazine (all in Portuguese) but you can translate their online information if you Google the site

Página inicial - DECO PROTESTE


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