Context

Efficient dispute resolution holds the key to trust in the market economy. To cope with the caseload, while formal court system makes its own efforts, promote of alternate dispute resolution (ADR) measures had gained traction. Lately, the addition of online medium to ADRs, or simply put Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) has found more takers.

Global Efforts

UNCITRAL brought out its Technical Note in 2016. In 2020, UNCTAD launched the project entitled “delivering digital trading infrastructure and online dispute resolution for consumers as means to improve international trade and electronic commerce” and brought out a report “Consumer trust in the digital economy: The case for ODR” to examine consumer trust issues in e-commerce.

In 2018, GIZ supported a feasibility study to set up an ASEAN ODR Forum. Thereafter, ASEAN Guidelines on Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) were published in 2022.

In India, in August 2023, Mediation Bill was passed by Rajya Sabha. Niti Aayog provided a big push to ODR through its 2021 report “Designing the Future of Dispute Resolution: The ODR Policy Plan for India”  As a result, an ODR marketplace is fast emerging in India.

Purpose

Against the above background, this webinar aims to take stock and review the developments in the ODR space, and seeks to engage with the following questions:

1. Do early results favour the adoption of ODR to achieve effective dispute resolution in the short term, and infuse trust in a market economy in long term?
2. What are the key policy initiatives which are conducive to the promotion of ODR?
3. Which are the concrete and successful use cases to demonstrate the promise of ODR?

The proposed panel

Date and Time

Friday, 22 September 2023
Geneve/ Vienna 11.30 AM	New Delhi 3.00 PM	Jakarta 4.30 PM