European Standards on ODR
CEN is the Brussels based organisation that produces standards for products and services that are adopted by all EU member countries. Throughout 2008, a CEN Workshop committtee, of which Graham Ross, MD of TheMediationRoom.com , is a member, have been meeting to produce recommended standards for adoption through a CEN Workshop Agreement (CWA.
The following paraphrases the Forward to the CWA to explain the intention:- "The objective of the CWA is to maintain the processes of ODR and offline dispute resolution in as close a synergy as may be practicable and to encourage and facilitate their future evolution in parallel to the maximum practicable extent. While these tools are becoming more and more important at international level for the out-of-court settlement of disputes , it is important to promote them in a proper way, using clear, simple and homogeneous rules on a pan-European basis. Without these rules, the heterogeneous procedures of the various ODR systems would create confusion among potential users. Moreover, ODR systems offer different user interfaces, and are unable to exchange information each other, preventing potential users from using their features within a multilanguage and cross-country business environments. This problem represents a barrier to the development of European e-business both from the consumers and the business perspectives."
The existence of this CWA, and the recognition at CEN of the need to set standards, is further evidence of the significance that technology and ODR is being seen to play in dispute resolution.