OECD Workshop on Consumer Dipuste Resolution and Redress in the Global Marketplace, Washington, DC, 19-20 April 2005

Organised by the OECD's Committee on Consumer Policy and hosted by the United States government, this workshop examined approaches to consumer dispute resolution and redress around the world. More than 100 experts from governments, business, consumer groups, and academia in 23 countries explored different mechanisms for consumers to resolve disputes and obtain monetary redress, exchanging views about the advantages and disadvantages of the different mechanisms in the cross border context.

Topics covered included developments in industry-sponsored or voluntary dispute resolution and redress mechanisms; various court and other state-run procedures for the resolution of individual and collective low-value consumer disputes; the role that consumer protection enforcement agencies can play in facilitating consumer redress; and ways to improve the effectiveness of consumer redress in cross-border cases.

Keynote speeches were delivered by Deborah Platt Majoras, Chairman, US Federal Trade Commission and Markos Kyprianou, European Union (EU) Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection.

Final Agenda; Presentations; Background Report (french); Speakers' Bio Book; Press Release; Workshop Summary