The study identifies barriers to the use of ADR schemes by consumers in the EU, especially in cross-border cases. It assesses other legislation relevant for consumer redress: the European Small Claims Procedure, the Injunctions Directive and the Mediation Directive. Finally, it examines ways to improve the effectiveness of cross-border ADR and the usefulness of a European legal instrument.

The study identifies barriers to the use of ADR schemes by consumers in the EU, especially in cross-border cases. It assesses other legislation relevant for consumer redress: the European Small Claims Procedure, the Injunctions Directive and the Mediation Directive. Finally, it examines ways to improve the effectiveness of cross-border ADR and the usefulness of a European legal instrument.

Despite the growing national and international regulatory framework to support cross-border mediation, the use of such mediation appears to remain stubbornly low. This book focuses in particular on the European Union’s (EU’s) continued efforts to encourage the use of cross-border mediation and examines why such efforts have had a limited impact. It does so by drawing on rare, and at times surprising, detailed insights from in-house counsel of multinational companies regarding their use of EU cross-border commercial mediation. By viewing mediation through the lens of disputants, new and important findings regarding why disputants do, and do not, use cross-border mediation have emerged. While these findings are of primary relevance to EU policy and practice, they have implications far beyond the EU context at a time of increasing international interest in cross-border mediation. The analysis of the insights provided by the disputants reveals, for example: the prominent role played by negotiation as a cross-border dispute resolution process; that negotiation is a key comparator for disputants when considering whether to use mediation; how the EU’s continued focus on understanding and presenting mediation as an alternative to litigation has resulted in measures which are insufficient to address fully the barriers to the use of mediation; intriguing barriers to the use of mediation which arise from the association which disputants draw between mediation and negotiation; how the relationship which disputants draw between mediation and negotiation paradoxically raises both opportunities for, and obstacles to, the increased use of mediation; and what disputants need in order to increase their use of cross-border mediation. The qualitative nature (by way of interviews) of the research conducted for this book has enabled the identification of nuanced and novel findings regarding mediation’s position and potential in cross-border dispute resolution. These findings, together with a detailed examination of the EU Directive on Certain Aspects of Mediation in Civil and Commercial Matters and the EU’s continued initiatives to foster the use of mediation, form the foundation upon which this book’s recommendations are built. Changing the frame to view the use of mediation through the disputants’ perspective, as this book does, provides the opportunity for the EU to promote cross-border mediation in a way which resonates more deeply with disputants and responds more fully to their concerns and needs. This thought-provoking book will be of interest not only to European and national bodies seeking to promote the use of mediation but clearly also to dispute resolution academics, in-house counsel, and of course mediators and dispute resolution practitioners in general.

4. THE NORDIC ADR SYSTEMS

Mediation plays a leading role within the movement of Alternative Dispute Resolution after centuries in which, for several reasons, the State and State courts were regarded as the only available instrument to ensure access to justice to citizens. In the European Union, the institution of mediation has received much support in the form of Directive 2008/52/EC, which sets forth a minimum common legal framework for mediation in the EU's Member States. The 2008 Directive has finally been implemented in the Member States, and this book provides the much needed in-depth analysis of the status of the mediation regimes in the EU. The analysis covers the legal regimes of the Member States set up for cross-border and national mediation. Whereas detailed national reports on the situation of national mediation have already been published in Civil and Commercial Mediation in Europe - National Mediation Rules and Procedures (ISBN 978 1 78068 077 4), this book, in addition to the analysis, includes national reports on cross-border mediation, including in-depth information on all the relevant aspects of cross-border mediation: the notion of cross-border mediation, the law applicable to the mediation clause, the mediation proceedings, and the content of the settlement reached by the parties. Special attention is given to the recognition and enforcement in the EU of settlements reached in other Member States and outside Europe. In addition, the role of mediators and requirements to become a mediator are examined. This book provides a unique picture of the legal situation in the EU for cross-border mediation. It will be an invaluable instrument for those who want to know more about this complex topic or want to become a mediator in Europe themselves.

Die 3. aktualisierte und erweiterte Auflage dieses Werks ist eine unverzichtbare Lektüre für erfahrene Familienmediatoren und alle anderen Fachleute, die mit grenzüberschreitenden Familienkonflikten und Kindesentführungsfällen zu tun haben. Eine Vielzahl von Beiträgen führender internationaler Expertinnen und Experten auf diesem Gebiet machen das Buch zu einer unschätzbaren Quelle, die unter anderem Folgendes bietet: Überblick über den einschlägigen internationalen Rechtsrahmen für solche Fälle Anleitung zu den besonderen Merkmalen grenzüberschreitender Familiensachen sowie den eingesetzten Methoden, Mediationsmodellen und Instrumenten Informationen zur Koordinierung der Mediation mit Gerichtsverfahren in Kindesentführungsfällen Leitlinien für die grenzüberschreitende Vollstreckbarkeit von im Mediationsverfahren geschlossenen Familienvereinbarungen Ansätze und bewährte Praktiken für die Mediation in Fällen mit (muslimischen) Ländern, die nicht dem Haager Übereinkommen angehören Informationen zur Einbeziehung der Stimme des Kindes in die Mediation, Online-Mediation, Zweisprachigkeit in der grenzüberschreitenden Mediation praktische Informationen und Ressourcen wie z.B. Fallstudien, Muster für Mediationsvereinbarungen und Gerichtsbeschlüsse, eine Vorlage für eine Gerichtsstandsvereinbarung, Checklisten, Links wichtiger Ansprechpartner und Texte der anwendbaren internationalen Rechtsinstrumente The 3rd updated and expanded edition of this reference book is indispensable reading for experienced family mediators and all other professionals involved in cross-border family conflicts and child abduction cases. A diverse range of contributions from leading international experts in the field make this an invaluable resource covering: an overview of the relevant international legal framework for such cases insight into the specific characteristics of cross-border family cases, the methodologies, mediation models and tools employed information on coordinating mediation with court proceedings in child abduction cases guidance on the cross-border enforceability of mediated family agreements family law trends and mediation in cases with non-Hague Convention (Muslim) countries the voice of the child, mediating online, bilingualism in mediation practical information and resources, such as case studies, sample mediation agreements and court orders, a template of a choice of court agreement, checklists, important contacts and applicable legal texts