Dispute resolution
Last updated: October 2026
Legal framework
Law no. 144/2015 of 8 September transposed into Portuguese law Directive 2013/11/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 May 2013 on alternative dispute resolution for consumer disputes. It sets out the legal framework for alternative dispute resolution mechanisms for consumer disputes and creates the Consumer Arbitration Network in Portugal.
What are consumer disputes?
Under article 2(1) of Law no. 144/2015, consumer disputes are those concerning contractual obligations arising from service contracts between a provider established in Portugal or another EU Member State and a consumer resident there, when brought by the consumer against the provider. In the contractual relationship with PremiWeb Design, consumer disputes may include conflicts concerning the performance, interpretation, fulfilment or termination of service contracts with clients who are consumers under Law no. 24/96 of 31 July, namely those relating to the design and delivery of websites, photo and video sessions, maintenance services and any other services contracted through the agency’s electronic platform.
What is ADR?
Alternative Dispute Resolution for consumer disputes (ADR) is the set of out-of-court mechanisms, namely mediation, conciliation and arbitration, available to consumers and businesses to resolve consumer disputes outside the courts, faster and at lower cost, respecting the principles of independence, transparency, adversarial process, effectiveness and legality. Depending on the procedure and the rules of the competent entity, a solution may first be sought through mediation or conciliation. Where admissible, the dispute can be referred to an arbitration tribunal of the relevant consumer arbitration centre, whose decision, issued in a simplified procedure, binds the parties and has the force of res judicata, without prejudice to appeal where the law provides for it.
What are ADR entities?
ADR entities are public or private legal persons with specialised staff who, impartially and independently, help the consumer and the business reach an amicable solution through mediation, conciliation and arbitration of consumer disputes. To act as such in Portugal, they must be on the list of ADR entities organised and published by the Directorate-General for Consumers.
Who manages the list of ADR entities?
Registration and publication of the list of ADR entities are the responsibility of the Directorate-General for Consumers, as the competent national authority. The list is updated regularly and available free of charge on the Consumer Portal, www.consumidor.gov.pt. This authority also promotes ADR among consumers and businesses and works with the authorities of the other EU Member States.
How many ADR entities are there in Portugal?
There are currently 12 consumer Alternative Dispute Resolution entities recognised by the Directorate-General for Consumers, in two categories: ten entities on the general list and two entities dedicated to specific disputes, the Insurance Information, Mediation and Arbitration Centre (CIMPAS) and the Client Ombudsman of Travel and Tourism Agencies (Provedor da APAVT). The full list of ADR entities and their jurisdictions is available on the Consumer Portal. Whenever needed, PremiWeb Design tells the consumer client which ADR entity best suits the dispute, based on the applicable jurisdiction rules.
Which ADR entity do we indicate?
The competent ADR entity is determined by the nature of the dispute, the rules of territorial and subject-matter jurisdiction and the conditions that apply to each entity. As PremiWeb Design concludes most of its contracts at a distance, electronically, with consumers across the country, the entity indicated may be CNIACC, the National Centre for Consumer Conflict Information and Arbitration, where the dispute falls within its supplementary national jurisdiction: Rua D. Afonso Henriques, 1, 4700-030 Braga, Portugal; phone +351 253 619 107; email [email protected]; www.cniacc.pt. In specific cases, another competent consumer arbitration centre may be indicated, under the law.
Who must inform consumers?
The duty to inform under article 18 of Law no. 144/2015 applies to service providers established in Portugal, in respect of the ADR entities they are bound to, by membership or by law, including those that provide services only online. PremiWeb Design, which works mainly by electronic means and concludes distance contracts with its consumer clients under Decree-Law no. 24/2014 of 14 February, provides this information. The exclusions in the law, such as non-economic services of general interest, health services and public education, do not apply to the agency, which provides digital services in a competitive market for payment.
Is there a mandatory information template?
The law does not set a standard template. PremiWeb Design defines the content of the information, provided it is clear, understandable and suited to the type of service.
Since when does this apply?
Law no. 144/2015 of 8 September came into force on 23 September 2015 and gave service providers six months to adapt. Since 23 March 2016, businesses must make this information available to consumers.
Complaints Book
Information on ADR entities does not exempt PremiWeb Design from providing the Complaints Book under Decree-Law no. 156/2005 of 15 September, which is available electronically at www.livroreclamacoes.pt.