Ombudsman du Commerce-Ombudsman voor de handel

Overview

Fees for traders

Retailers are required to pay a minimum annual subscription fee of EUR 75.

The fee is then adapted according to the three following criteria:

- Staff headcount: EUR 1 excl. VAT per person employed;

- The company’s VAT assessment basis for the previous financial year. The amount due varies depending on whether or not the value added generated by the company exceeds the threshold of EUR 2.5 million. This amount increases incrementally with each EUR 25 000 tranche:
For the first 100 tranches: EUR 1.84 (excl. VAT) per EUR 25 000 tranche (up to EUR 2.5 million). For all subsequent tranches (as from tranche 101): EUR 0.92 (excl. VAT) per EUR 25 000 tranche;

- The number of franchised points of sale or partners:
 corner shop/convenience store (<600 m²): EUR 34.44 (excl. VAT)
 supermarket/superstore (601 – 5 000 m²): EUR 62.20 (excl. VAT)
 hypermarket (>5 000 m²): EUR 191.36 (excl. VAT)

The entity is competent for disputes in the following sectors

• Consumer Goods
• Food - Fruit and vegetables
• Food - Meat
• Food - Bread and Cereals
• Food - Health food and nutrients
• Food - Other
• Non-alcoholic beverages
• Alcoholic beverages
• Tobacco
• Clothing (including tailor-made goods) and footwear
• House maintenance and improvement goods
• Furnishings
• Large domestic household appliances (including vacuum cleaners and microwaves)
• Small domestic household appliances (including coffee machines and food- processing appliances)
• Electronic goods (non-ICT/recreational)
• Information and communication technology (ICT) goods
• Leisure goods (sports equipment, musical instruments, etc)
• New cars
• Second-hand cars
• Other personal transport
• Spares and accessories for vehicles and other means of personal transport
• Fuels and lubricants for vehicles and other means of personal transport
• Books, magazines, newspapers, stationery (excluding postal delivery)
• Pets and pet goods
• Electrical appliances for personal care
• Cosmetics and toiletries for personal care
• Jewellery, silverware, clocks, watches and accessories
• Baby and child care articles
• Cleaning and maintenance products, articles for cleaning and non-durable household articles
• Other

Fees to be paid by the consumer

• No

Fees to be paid by the trader

• Yes

Type of fee for the trader

• Fixed fee

Language(s) of the procedure

• Dutch
• English
• French

Language(s) in which the complaint can be submitted

• Dutch
• English
• French

The procedure is done

• in writing

Outcome of the procedure

• Non-binding

Grounds for refusal

• The consumer did not attempt to contact the trader first to try and resolve the matter bilaterally
• The dispute is frivolous or vexatious
• The complaint is being or has previously been considered by another dispute resolution body or by a court
• The value of the claim is below or above the required threshold
• The consumer has not submitted the complaint to the dispute resolution body within the required time limit
• Dealing with the dispute will seriously affect the functioning of the dispute resolution body