Online Selling and Dispute Resolution: a mandatory link
Posted on 5th February 2016 at 07:22
Do you run a business selling goods or services online? You do? OK then, did you know that with effect from 9 January 2016, your website must carry a link to the EU Commission’s Online Dispute Resolution platform? You didn’t? Well, you may not be alone, and you will probably be curious to know more.
The explanation lies in the Alternative Dispute Resolution for Consumer Disputes Regulations 2015;, the relevant provisions coming into force on 9 January 2016.
On pages 4&5, we may note the formula “the trader must provide a link to the ODR platform”.
What exactly is the ODR platform, then? The definition is to be found on page 2: –
“a European online dispute resolution platform established under Article 5 of Regulation (EU) No 524/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 May 2013 on online dispute resolution for consumer disputes”.
Here is the link to the ODR – only too pleased to help. Now it’s over to you and your website designers. Please feel free to let us know if you need any further legal overhaul for your online terms or anything related. http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/odr/
You may, of course, be wondering why you have not been required to link to the Pre-Action Conduct Practice Direction of the Civil Procedure Rules of England & Wales, a good practical source of information about dispute resolution and how desirable it is. You probably won’t be alone. But that’s a question to raise with a politician, not a solicitor.
Tagged as: Solicitor
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