CIAB – Consumer Arbitration Court
CIAB is a Consumer Conflict Arbitration Center, which promotes the carrying out of arbitration in an institutionalized manner under Law n.º 63/2011, of 14/12 and Decree-Law n.º 425/86, of 27/12, having been authorized by Order n.º 5479/2003 of the Deputy Secretary of the Minister of Justice, published in the 2nd Series of DR n.º 67, of 03/20/2003.
The updated Competence of CIAB is contained in Order n.º 8499/2017 of the Secretary of State for Justice, published in DR, 2nd series, n.º 4188, of 09/28/2017.
CIAB was created on 03/15/1997 (World Consumer Rights Day), following the signing of a protocol between the Consumer Institute, the Braga City Council and the Braga Commercial Association, with competence limited to Braga, then with a population of around 160,000 inhabitants and with a competence due to the value limited to 500,000$00 (around €2500) operating in facilities provided by the Braga Commercial Association.
Given the success that the Center had immediately and the need to have its own legal personality, CIAB was transformed by public deed granted on 24/05/2002, into a private law association called “CIAB – Information, Mediation and Arbitration of Consumption in Vale do Cávado”.
Characteristics of CIAB
Simple understanding rules for the parties and user-friendly operation
The process of complaint is, by rule, closed in less than 90 days
The arbitration agreement or judgment has the same value as a Judicial Court judgment
CIAB users can access to their services at available service locations throughout the covered territory
In disputes for a value not exceeding € 5 000, 01, cases are subject to necessary arbitration.
The remaining consumer disputes whose value is between €5 000,01 and €30 000 can still be resolved within the framework of voluntary arbitration
The services provided by CIAB are generally free
Mário Constantino Lopes
Following the 2021 local elections and subsequent recomposition of the corporate bodies of CIAB – Consumer Arbitration Court, I had the honor of being elected by my peers, president of the Administration of this Consumer Arbitration Court.
As is known, arbitration centers are institutions that provide support for arbitrations and were created specifically for this purpose. Not replacing common courts, they are, however, an agile, quick and economical way of resolving conflicts between consumers and companies providing goods and services, using the alternative dispute resolution procedures that the law provides for this activity: mediation, conciliation and arbitration.
Currently, CIAB serves more than 700 thousand inhabitants, covering the populations of Amares, Arcos de Valdevez, Braga, Barcelos, Caminha, Esposende, Melgaço, Monção, Montalegre, Paredes de Coura, Ponte da Barca, Ponte de Lima, Póvoa de Lanhoso , Terras de Bouro, Valença, Viana do Castelo, Vieira do Minho, Vila Nova de Cerveira and Vila Verde.
In addition to resolving conflicts between consumers and companies, the CIAB – Consumer Arbitration Court also has an important information service on the respective rights and duties, regularly promoting information actions among its target audiences.
Also very important, taking into account the current situation, is the support given in terms of over-indebtedness, through the integration of our structure into RACE – Bank Customer Support Network.
I want to take this opportunity to encourage people and companies in our coverage area to use our services, in the certainty that CIAB will know how to meet the desires and expectations of consumers and companies.
Human Resources
CIAB has a technical team made up of: arbitration judges and arbitrators; CEO; Legal Experts (jurists); Legal/administrative service technicians.
