European Union: Deadline for transposing Directive (EU) 2025/2647 amending Directive 2013/11/EU on alternative dispute resolution for consumer disputes reached

By 20 March 2028, Member States must adopt and publish the laws, regulations and administrative provisions necessary to comply with Articles 1 to 4 of Directive (EU) 2025/2647, which amends Directive 2013/11/EU and Directives (EU) 2015/2302, (EU) 2019/2161 and (EU) 2020/1828 following the repeal of Regulation (EU) No 524/2013 and the discontinuation of the European Online Dispute Resolution Platform. These measures give effect to the revised Union framework for alternative dispute resolution extending to contractual and pre-contractual disputes, including disputes concerning digital content and digital services and contracts where consumers provide personal data instead of a monetary price, and enabling participation by third-country traders directing activities towards the Union. The transposition measures must reflect obligations requiring traders to reply to alternative dispute resolution entities within 20 working days, with a lack of reply being treated as refusal to participate, simplified reporting obligations for alternative dispute resolution entities, strengthened Member State responsibilities on accessibility, organisation, supervision and reporting, reinforced coordination mechanisms involving competent authorities and designated alternative dispute resolution contact points including within the European Consumer Centres Network, and the requirement for the European Commission to develop and maintain a multilingual digital interactive tool supporting cross-border alternative dispute resolution. Member States must immediately inform the European Commission of the adopted measures.