Stage 3: arbitration

If the mediation and conciliation procedure does not succeed, an arbitration procedure can be considered, so long as both parties give their written consent. Access to this phase of the procedure will be done by means of a special arbitration form. The OTE has given a commitment that its members will accept arbitration if the consumer wants it. This procedure is also organised and followed by the central secretariat in Brussels (OIPC, the Organisation indépendante pour la protection du consommateur). Out of this arbitration procedure , an obligatory decision is made by the impartial referee or by the Arbitration Board (which has equal consumer and professional representation). In Spain and Portugal, the litigation can be brought before the system of legal arbitration actually operating in those countries. The consumer can be represented by somebody from the helpdesk of the relevant country concerned (respectively OCU and DECO).