# ECC-Net calls for stronger consumer protection in car rental

> In October 2025, ECC-Net published a position paper on car rental, based on 6,016 complaints about rental companies. It names unclear responsibilities in bookings, confusing insurance and hidden fees, and harsh cancellation rules, and points to damage disputes and high admin charges as wider concerns. For travellers, the message is to document everything and to object in writing.

Updated: 2026-10-22 · Source: https://scratchfair.com/en/blog/ecc-net-car-rental-recommendations

The European Consumer Centres Network (ECC-Net) published a position paper called "Driving Change: Stronger Consumer Protection in the Car Rental Sector" on 6 October 2025. ==It is based on 6,016 complaints about car rental companies== that the centres received.

## What ECC-Net flags

According to ECC-Net's announcement, the recurring problems are:

- **Shifting responsibility** between the different parties in a booking, such as a comparison site, a broker and the local rental company.
- **Confusing insurance offers and hidden fees.**
- **Disproportionate cancellation and no-show policies.** When you booked directly with the rental company, ECC-Net says the car should be kept for you until you arrive.

ECC-Net also mentions wider concerns: hidden fees, damage disputes, excessive fuel and administrative charges, weak complaint handling and poor contract transparency. The full paper contains the detailed recommendations.

## What it means if you have a damage claim now

The paper does not change the law. But it confirms what many travellers experience, and it supports the steps you can take today:

1. **Ask for evidence.** A claim should show that the damage happened during your rental and what it costs. See [what a damage claim should contain](https://scratchfair.com/en/knowledge/damage-claim/what-a-damage-claim-should-contain).
2. **Question extra fees.** Admin and handling fees should be in the terms you accepted. Our [amount check](https://scratchfair.com/en/tools/amount-check) helps you see whether the total is in a usual range.
3. **Know who you contracted with.** If you booked through a broker, check whether your complaint should go to the broker, the rental company or both.
4. **Use the free help.** Your national ECC can take up a cross-border complaint. Read [how an ECC complaint works](https://scratchfair.com/en/knowledge/ecc-and-disputes/ecc-complaint-car-rental).

## Who ECC-Net is

ECC-Net is the network of European Consumer Centres, with a centre in every EU country, Iceland and Norway. The centres give free advice and help consumers with complaints against a business in another country. That is why their complaint figures are a good view of cross-border problems: the 6,016 car rental complaints come from travellers who went to a centre for help.

## What happens with the paper

A position paper is a call, not a law. ECC Germany reported in 2026 that the paper documents damage disputes, opaque insurance models and questionable contract clauses, and has been presented to members of the European Parliament. Whether it leads to new EU rules is up to the EU institutions. It is not the first time the sector has had EU attention: in 2017, five large rental companies made commitments to EU consumer authorities. Read [what the EU agreed with the big car rental companies](https://scratchfair.com/en/blog/eu-action-car-rental-companies).

## The problems behind the figures

The three issues ECC-Net highlights each have a practical side:

| Issue | What it looks like for you | Where to read more |
|---|---|---|
| Shifting responsibility | The broker points to the rental company, and the other way round | [Booked through a broker](https://scratchfair.com/en/knowledge/ecc-and-disputes/booked-through-broker-who-to-complain-to) |
| Confusing insurance and fees | Cover bought online that the desk does not recognise | [Comparison sites and the small print](https://scratchfair.com/en/blog/comparison-site-car-rental-small-print) |
| Harsh cancellation rules | No refund for a late arrival or a changed plan | [Cancelling a car rental booking](https://scratchfair.com/en/knowledge/rules/cancel-car-rental-booking-rights) |

> [!TIP]
> If your problem matches one of these issues, say so in your complaint to the ECC. It shows the case fits a pattern the network already knows.

## Our view

Scratchfair was built for exactly the gap ECC-Net describes: travellers who receive a claim weeks after their trip, in a foreign language, with little evidence attached. Checking a claim takes a few minutes and is free. You decide whether you send a letter, and you send it yourself.

## FAQ

**Does this paper change my rights today?**

No. It is a set of recommendations. Your current rights come from existing EU and national law and from your contract.

**Where can I read the full paper?**

On the ECC-Net website, under the publication 'Driving Change: Stronger Consumer Protection in the Car Rental Sector'.

## Sources

- [ECC-Net: Recommendations to address unfair car rental practices](https://www.eccnet.eu/news/ecc-nets-recommendations-address-unfair-car-rental-practices)
- [ECC-Net: Driving Change, Stronger Consumer Protection in the Car Rental Sector](https://www.eccnet.eu/publication/driving-change-stronger-consumer-protection-car-rental-sector)
- [ECC Germany: Rental car on holiday, press release (German)](https://www.evz.de/aktuelles/pressemitteilungen/mietwagen-urlaub/)