The European Parliament has published a report on the
Commission’s proposals for new dispute resolution services to deal
with e-commerce disputes. The “EEJ-Net” and “FIN-Net” initiatives
are intended to provide alternative mechanisms for settling
consumers’ grievances against on-line retailers without involving
the courts.
The report criticises several aspects of the Commission’s
working paper, including its lack of foresight and detail. It
suggests that these “clearing houses” should be equipped to provide
legal advice to consumers and should guarantee a minimum standard
of service in dealing with cases.
In addition, the report stresses the importance of establishing
adequate systems for monitoring and assessing the performance of
the dispute resolution services. There is a strong possibility that
the UK will employ the services of the Citizen’s Advice Bureau in
order to ensure it complies with any EU requirements regarding the
Commission’s proposals.
