Brussels, 19/01/2011 (Agence Europe) - How can consumers settle disputes faster in the EU without having to go to court? The Commission is consulting interested parties in order to prepare draft legislation on out-of-court settlements for November 2011 with the aim of increasing consumer confidence in the Single Market and buying goods and services from other countries. On Tuesday 18 January 2011, the Commission started a public consultation process on alternative dispute resolution schemes (ADR) for consumers and retailers, which will run until 15 March 2011. A public hearing on the same subject will be held in the spring at the European Parliament.
There are some are present more than 750 out-of-court settlement schemes for consumers in the EU, but consumers do not always get the aid they need for three main reasons: the lack of systems in some regions and markets in the EU, lack of knowledge about ADR and lack of information for both consumers and retailer, and retailers' reluctance to make use of ADR, which is not compulsory for 64% of cases. Losses suffered by EU consumers amount of some 0.3% of EU GNP. (A.N. transl/fl)