Ever bought something from an online retailer that didn’t work? It’ll cost you €25 to make a claim of up to €5000

Consumers who have purchased faulty items online from foreign sellers can now pursue cross-border claims of up to €5,000 through the European Small Claims Procedure (ESCP).

Announced yesterday, the limit for cross-border claims made by consumers through the ESCP will be increased from €2,000 to €5,000.

This means that if you have exhausted all other options, such as contacting the trader or getting assistance from European Consumer Centre (ECC) Network, consumers will now have a further step they can take.

The move was welcomed by ECC Ireland. Spokeswoman Martina Nee said: “When a consumer encounters a problem with good or services purchased from traders in another EU country they sometimes don’t know what to do or who to turn to.

“There’s a lot of help and options out there for them; this includes the European Consumer Centre Network and the ESCP. If a consumer has tried to contact the trader, obtained assistance from the consumer centre and yet the matter is not resolved to the consumer’s satisfaction then there is still the option of the ESCP. It’s great news that the limit for claims has been increased to €5,000.”

You can make a claim in Ireland for a faulty product which you bought online from a trader based in another EU country.

You have to fill out the ESCP form, pay a fee of €25, and lodge it with the registrar in your local District Court office.