Frequently asked questions
Your report helps the Economic Inspection gain an overview of misleading or unfair practices on the Belgian market. By reporting an infringement, you help to protect other consumers and companies from the same abuses.
You will find more information on the role of the Economic Inspection on the FPS Economy website.
The Economic Inspection examines all the reports received and, if necessary, opens an investigation or forwards the report to the relevant inspection service.
If infringements are found during this procedure, the Economic Inspection can order the person concerned to put an end to the infringements or to regularise the situation. This request may be made by means of a warning or an offence report, which may result in sanctions, including a proposal for a transaction, an administrative fine, or legal proceedings before the criminal court.
What the Economic Inspection does not do is solve your individual problem. Looking to resolve your dispute amicably? Find a certified mediator on the website of the Federal Mediation Commission of the FPS Justice. If an amicable settlement is not possible or has not succeeded, the judicial route remains available. In Belgium, the business court is competent for disputes between businesses. There are also legal aid commissions where you can get free first-line legal assistance. They can advise you, but they will not conduct the procedure on your behalf. For tailored legal advice and the initiation of legal proceedings, it is recommended that you consult a lawyer.
Have you fallen victim to a scam and lost money? The Economic Inspection cannot help you in the event of loss or damage. File a complaint with the local police.
You will find more information about the role of the Economic Inspection on the FPS Economy website.
The Economic Inspection does not, as a rule, provide any information on the concrete measures taken following a report.
If the Economic Inspection draws up an offence report and sends it to the public prosecutor’s office, you can, in certain cases, declare yourself an injured party to the public prosecutor’s office. In this case, the Economic Inspection will contact you to explain how to proceed.
This depends on the situation. For example, if you report a problem following a purchase, the company must be able to prove its good faith. To do so, it may sometimes need to consult its customer database to understand what happened with a specific customer. It is sometimes impossible to remove all information identifying you from the file, or to guarantee your anonymity during a hearing. Despite this, the Economic Inspection remains bound by the principles of data minimisation and proportionality in its use of the information collected.
You can submit a report anonymously. However, if you choose to remain anonymous, the Economic Inspection will not be able to contact you to request or provide additional information.
If you are aware of an infringement in a professional context (for example, as an employee or former employee, supplier, subcontractor, etc.), you may apply for whistle-blower status.
This status is not available to parties involved in a private dispute.
You will find more information on the procedure and the protection offered to whistle-blowers on the FPS Economy website.
The Economic Inspection collects and processes personal data. It is therefore subject to Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data, and repealing Directive 95/46/EC (“GDPR”).
You can find more information about the GDPR in the General terms of use and privacy policy of the Report platform.
To request the withdrawal of our report, please get in touch with the Contact Centre of the FPS Economy. They will forward our request to the relevant department.
As a consumer, you cannot contact the Economic Inspection directly.
If you have any questions, please get in touch with the Contact Centre of the FPS Economy, who will redirect your request to the appropriate department. Please note: the Contact Centre will not be able to provide you with information on the outcome of a report.
If you are a consumer, you can report an infringement of consumer law to the Economic Inspection via ConsumerConnect. ConsumerConnect also provides information about your rights and obligations as a consumer.
An individual is a natural person acting for personal purposes and not in the course of a professional activity.
A company is defined as a self-employed person, a corporation or an association pursuing an economic goal (commercial activities) on a long-term basis.