The EU Commission’s drive to encourage EU cross-border trade through increased consumer confidence took a step forward today (9 February 2016) with the operational launch of its online dispute resolution platform (ODR platform). The portal (which is accessible at the following link: http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/odr/) is specifically designed to help consumers who have bought goods or services online, but subsequently experienced a problem with their purchase.
The ODR platform is the result of the 2013 EU regulation on consumer online dispute resolution (ODR Regulation). This sought to address a perception that consumers are not making complaints to online traders because they believe the procedure will be too long-winded, or is unlikely to result in a satisfactory solution.