Vicky Ford MEP visied the UK ECC offices as part of the ECC-Net's 10th anniversary celebrations.

Vicky Ford MEP (pictured centre) during her visit to the UK ECC offices as part of the ECC-Net's 10th anniversary celebrations. The European Consumer Centre celebrated its 10th anniversary this summer. There are 30 centres in the EU, plus Iceland and Norway. Our consumer advisors have helped hundreds of thousands of consumers in their disputes with European traders since the ECC-Net started. Vicky is chair of the European Parliament's Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection.

Vicky visited the UK ECC to help promote the ECC-Net's new free mobile travel app, which instantly gives consumers all the necessary legal information in their own language and comes up with the best possible arguments to handle their specific situation.

She said: "As we enter the digital age, we need to be sure that consumers still have the rights and protections that they currently enjoy in the traditional market place. We need to be sure that they do not have fewer rights than they have now. It is important that consumers have the information they need to buy products from another country with confidence, and ECCs play an important role in achieving this."

Andy Allen, UK ECC director, said: "This app has been developed as an ideal travel companion inside the EU as well as Iceland and Norway. It is a pocket version of an all-in-one legal counsellor and personal interpreter. It is designed to support travellers in almost any awkward situation which might arise when they're on holidays in Europe. It can help take the stress away.

"UK consumers can first discover their consumer rights in specific situations, but also express them easily and confidently. It's easy to download, easy to use, it works offline and it's free. All UK consumers need to do is to remember to download it now before going on holiday. The ECC-Net: Travel App helps consumers know and express their consumer rights in 25 European languages."