The EU's top court, the European Court of Justice, has ruled that Amazon does not have to provide consumers with a helpline phone or fax number on its site, rejecting a claim brought by the German Federal Union of Consumer Organizations and Associations.

The German consumer association claimed that Amazon's German website breached consumer protection laws by not giving consumers "an efficient means" to contact the company, as it did not inform consumers in a "clear and comprehensible manner" about its phone and fax numbers.

Amazon has an automated callback facility and an online chat service, but the group said these were not sufficient to show that it had lived up to its legal obligations.

In a ruling handed down on Wednesday, the court rejected those claims.

"An e-commerce platform such as Amazon is not obliged in all cases to make a telephone number available to consumers before the conclusion of a contract," judges said.

The court said it is necessary to strike a balance between a high level of consumer protection and the competitiveness of enterprises. It also said Amazon is obliged to provide consumers with a means of communication allowing them to contact it quickly and to communicate with it efficiently so they can exercise their rights, including the right to cancel a purchase.

But the access Amazon provides was deemed enough.

Amazon welcomed the decision.

"We were always confident that our callback service is fast, efficient and customer-focused," the company said in a statement. "The ECJ has now confirmed that the possibilities we offer for establishing contact are in line with the spirit and purpose, as well as the requirements, of the Consumer Rights Directive."