Consumer arbitration system of the Government of Aragon

The Consumer Arbitration System is an extrajudicial means of resolving conflicts that arise between the two protagonists of consumption: the consumer or user and the businessman, merchant or service provider. The Consumer Arbitration System allows the two parties in conflict to resolve their disputes without expenses, quickly and without any formality, not being necessary to go to the Courts of Justice.

How does the Consumer Arbitration System work?

The Consumer Arbitration System operates through the Consumer Arbitration Colleges that are established to resolve each of the claims raised, issuing the corresponding award.

The Arbitration College will be composed of three arbitrators designated as follows:

• An arbitrator, who represents consumers in general.

• An arbitrator, who represents the business, commercial or professional sector involved.

• An arbitrator, acting as President of the Arbitral Tribunal. Appointed by the Arbitration Board, from staff in the service of Public Administrations.

Once the Arbitral Tribunal has been constituted, the parties shall be summoned to the hearing. It is free of formalities and allows each party to be heard in defence of its interests and to contradict the allegations made against it.

At the hearing, the arbitrators do not act in defence of the parties in the sector they represent.

The parties, to intervene in the hearing, do not need a lawyer or a prosecutor, whatever the amount of the claim.

Unless the parties expressly opt for arbitration of law, the award made by the Arbitral Tribunal for the settlement of the dispute shall be fair.

Characteristics of the Consumer Arbitration System

• It's voluntary.It is only launched by the free accession of the parties to the conflict, for the specific or generic claim according to the public offer of submission.

• Speed.It is processed in a short space of time. The arbitration award shall be made within a maximum period of four months from the appointment of the arbitration panel.

• Economy.It is free for the parties, who must pay for expert reports only in certain cases.

• Unidirectionality.Although it is only initiated at the request of the consumer or user and never of the businessman, merchant or professional, throughout the process the latter may raise questions or claims that are directly linked to the claim. What's more, the idea that some businessmen have that the consumer is systematically right should be discarded; The statistics show that there is a balance between estimation and rejection of the consumer's claims, approaching 50% of awards issued in favor of the businessman.

• Unlimited amount.The object of the claim may be of an unlimited amount. However, issues on which there is a firm and definitive judicial resolution, those in which the parties do not have the power of disposition, those in which the Public Prosecutor's Office must intervene, and those in which intoxication, injury, death or There are rational indications of crime.

• Effectiveness.The conflict is resolved by an award or resolution of the Arbitration College that has the same effectiveness as a Judicial Sentence.

• Executiveness.The awards issued by the Arbitration College are executive and mandatory