Shopping abroad
Wherever you shop in the EU, Iceland or Norway, you have the same consumer rights:
Two year guarantee
- If the products you bought proves to be defect or it is not as advertised, you have two years to claim free repair or replacement.
[!] In Bulgaria when the first six months pass of the two year period, you may need to prove that the defect was present at the moment of purchase. You have to inform the seller not later then 2 months after you discovered the defect, for services this term is 14 days.
- The retailers often offer commercial guaranteewhich is included in the purchase price or it has to paid additionally. For example, a guarantee valid in the whole EU or a guarantee for 3, 5 or more years.
- The commercial guarantee has to be in written form, with plain and easy to read text. It does not replace the minimum two year guarantee that you have according the law.
Repair, replacement or refund
- When the repair or replacement is not possible within reasonable time and without additional inconviniances to you, then you can claim your money back or a reduction of the purchase price.
Distance contracts
- When you shop by post, on the phone, or on the internet form a trader registered in the EU, then you have the same right of repair, replacement or refund as you have when you shop on the premises.
[!] You do not have the right of refund when there is a minor defect - like uncut or untrimmed thread.
Pay VAT in the country where you shop
- As a consumer - natural person, shopping in the EU, you have to pay VAT only once and in the country where you make the purchase.
[!] Exceptional rule for cars - when you acquire a new car from another memberstate, you pay VAT in the country where you register the car. For more details please see the "Car's" section.
New cars
- When you buy a new car in another EU state with the intention to bring it to your state of residence, you are not charged for VAT in the state of the purchase. You should pay VAT in the country in which you register the car. For the taxation purposes a new car is the one that has no more than 6000 km made or which has been registered before less than 6 months.
Second-hand cars
- When you buy a second-hand car private owner, you are not charged for VAT. However, in case the seller is a trader, you will pay VAT following the rules of the country of purchase. Second-hand car is a car which is older than 6 months and which has made more than 6000km.
Guarantee
By law, in the EU the guarantee of the goods is 2 years in cases the purchase is made from a trader. The guarantee includes manufacturing defects which have existed to the moment of the delivery. The traders often provide an additional merchant guarantee for new cars and some traders offer a guarantee for second-hand cars as well.
(!) Purchase of a car from a private owner - bear in mind that when the purchase is made privately, you are not protected by the consumer's legislation.If you are not able to solve the problem without legal proceedings, you should take a private legal actions against the dealer.
(!) Beware when buying a car through an auction or through the Internet. It is advisable to make an inspection before the auction as there is a rule that "the car is bought after it has been seen" i. e. the seller does not bear responsibility for defects on the car.
Price discrimination
- As a consumer in the EU you cannot be asked to pay for the same product or service morethan the local people.