The rules on ADR will ensure that contractual disputes between consumers and traders are settled out of court through quality alternative dispute resolution entities. These will operate in all Member States and in all sectors, with the exception of health and higher education.

The ODR Regulation will set up an EU-wide online platform for handling disputes between consumers and traders, arising from online transactions. The platform will link all the national alternative dispute resolution entities and will operate in all official EU languages. Traders will be required to provide consumers with adequate information on ADR and ODR.

Tonio Borg said: „This legislation is a victory for consumers and a  milestone in the functioning of the single market.  It will boost consumers and traders’ confidence in the Single Market by enabling them to solve their disputes easily and at little expense, no matter whether they purchased locally or cross-border, online or offline””. He concluded: „I would like to thank the Internal Market and Consumers Committee and in particular the rapporteurs of the two proposals, Louis Grech and Róża Gräfin von Thun and Hohenstein, for their determination in achieving a balanced and rapid agreement. I would also like to thank the Member States and the Cypriot Presidency for their intensive work and commitment to these files.”

In the opinion of Director of ECC Poland – Piotr Stańczak European Consumer Centre in Poland has a particular reason for satisfaction as it actively supported the Polish MEP Mrs. Rose Thun – rapporteur for the ODR Regulation. Apart from that we supported the efforts of the Polish authorities by all ways – he sais – especially the President of the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection, in their efforts to the most favourable legislative solutions. What is worthy of note Polish centre was invited by the OCCP to participate in the expert team for online dispute resolution, organized by the European Commission in order to improve the legislative process.

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