you are here: The ODR Regulation (Regulation (EU) 524/2013) creates a Europe-wide online platform for disputes arising from online transactions. The platform proposes to link all national alternative dispute resolution entities and operates in all official languages of the European Union. It has been operational since February 15, 2016 and is now an additional tool available to consumers and professionals wishing to initiate an online amicable resolution procedure for their national or cross-border dispute.
Who is the platform intended for?
The consumer who wishes to file a complaint on the ODR platform must live in the European Union, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein and the professional concerned must also be established there. The complaint must concern a good or a service purchased online.
Professionals can also use this site to file a complaint against a consumer residing in Luxembourg or in some other countries, concerning a good or a service sold online.
Advantage of the platform?
- a centralized access to all recognized alternative dispute resolution bodies in Europe,
- an integrated translation tool to overcome language barriers,
- free of charge,
- the assistance of the contact point in Luxembourg, which is the CEC Luxembourg, in the steps to be taken.
How does the platform work?
In the event of a dispute between two or more parties who have concluded an online contract, one party, either the consumer or the professional, can file a complaint via the platform.
The ODR platform will notify the other party of the request. If the consumer/professional accepts the invitation for an amicable resolution, the ODR platform will then propose to the parties the list of competent alternative dispute resolution bodies (ADR). The parties must agree together on the dispute resolution body that will handle the case within 30 days. Once the body has been chosen, the dispute is referred to it. It then has three weeks to determine whether it is competent to handle the dispute and to inform the parties of its decision. Throughout the procedure, the parties are informed via the platform of the resolution of their dispute.
If the parties do not agree on the choice of the dispute resolution body, the complaint is abandoned. Please contact your national contact point for information on other possible remedies.
In Luxembourg, the dispute resolution bodies competent to deal with complaints about the sale of goods and services online and approved by the national authorities are the following:
If you have any questions do not hesitate to contact your local contact point point de contact national
The European Consumer Centre Luxembourg, your national contact point in Luxembourg
On the basis of Article 7.2 of the ODR Regulation, each Member State has to designate a national contact point whose task is to offer assistance concerning complaints submitted via the ODR platform. The European Consumer Centre has been designated as the contact point for Luxembourg (article L. 412-3 of the Consumer Code). Thus, two ODR advisors perform this task at the ECC Luxembourg.
As contact point, ECC Luxembourg performs the following functions:
- facilitate the communication between the parties and the competent ODR
- assist in the filing of the complaint,
- provide the parties with general information on consumer rights
- inform the parties about the functioning of the platform,
- explain the rules of procedure applied by the ADR,
- inform the complainant of other means of redress when a dispute cannot be resolved via the platform.