ODR: new legal requirements for ecommerce
New rule for e-commerce operators
A European Union regulation requires all those who sell goods and services online and are based in Europe to include a link to the European Union’s web platform for online alternative dispute resolution (ODR) on their website.
What is ODR
ODR (“online dispute resolution“) is a process that will allow consumers residing in the European Union to file their own complaints.
Complaints are related to contracts entered into online (either for the purchase of goods or services) with companies based in the EU.
How it works
The forms for doing so involve conducting it exclusively online and will be essentially two:
- “Blind Negotiation“-there is a virtual mediation to resolve a dispute between a business and a consumer
- “PeerPressure“-the disappointed consumer proposes a settlement of the dispute to the other party through a form that is posted on the ODR’s website, which intervenes, after the two parties have confronted each other and decided on a settlement.
Where does the legal obligation come from
The obligation to publish the link to the European Union’s ODR (“On Line Dispute Resolution”) platform is stipulated by theArticle 14 of EU Regulation no. 524/2013 and by the resolution on ODRs referred to in the Statutory Instrument no. 500/2015 and has been in effect since February 15, 2016.
What needs to be done
Every website owner who sells products or services online in Europe must include text explaining the possibility of availing themselves of the Online Dispute Resolution service by indicating the link to the ODR platform.
