EU shoppers who have disputes with traders over goods and services may no longer need to go to court to settle them, following to a deal struck by the European Parliament and Council negotiators.
The deal, on two laws to protect online and cross-border shoppers, aims to give easy access to fast, cheap and fair ways of settling disputes.
The deal provides for impartial mediation to settle disputes between shoppers and trades quickly, effectively and at low cost.
It concerns two draft laws - on Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) and Online Dispute Resolution (ODR), which still need to be formally endorsed by Parliament and the Council.
Many EU member states already have ADR schemes to ease out-of-court settlements, but lack of awareness, patchy coverage or overloading make it difficult for shoppers to use them.
The draft ADR directive builds on existing ADR schemes, but aims to step up their use by requiring member states to ensure that ADR bodies exist for all business sectors.
The ADR rules will apply to consumer complaints against traders about goods or services, bought online or in a shop, within a country or across a border. ADR services should preferably be free of charge for a shopper or cost a only "nominal fee". Disputes should generally be resolved within 90 days, the agreement says.
"An effective low-cost rapid redress mechanism which protects citizens is fundamental for the rapid development of e-commerce, which represents a crucial stimulus for growth in Europe's single market", ADR rapporteur MEP Louis Grech said.
To resolve disputes over online sales, a ODR regulation will establish an online platform at EU level to guide shoppers to the most appropriate resolution scheme for their dispute.
The platform, to be set up and maintained by the European Commission, will be accessible via the "Your Europe" Portal.
The directive and the regulation will enter into force 20 days after their publication in the EU Official Journal. The ADR directive should apply in all EU member states within 24 months of its entry into force. The ODR platform will start working shortly after that date.
Both Parliament and the Council must still formally endorse the agreed texts. The deal is expected to be endorsed by the Internal Market Committee on December 18, and put to a plenary vote early in 2013.