Samenvatting

This article deals with two European proposals on consumer disputes: one proposal for an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Directive and one for an Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) Regulation. The European Mediation Directive is also taken into account. Important issues are the voluntary nature of ADR and the quality of the so-called ADR entities.
Some regulation in the field of ADR might be useful, but the proposals are quite detailed. In the Netherlands, till now ADR has been successful without too much – or even without any – regulation. The two proposals could lead to undesirable intervention in an effective self-regulating ADR system.