In June 2012, a conference will take place on the occasion of the inaugural lectures of professors Christopher Hodges and Astrid Stadler. This conference examines two emerging responses to mass issues that are currently confronting European member States.

The problem of how to respond to multiple small claims by consumers, which has challenged court systems in Europe, has found a possible solution in "Consumer Alternative Dispute Resolution" (CADR). The first part of the conference presents research findings on how CADR systems operate in different member States, and on current European Commission legislative proposals to build national CADR systems that have full coverage for all types of consumer-to-business disputes, supported by an ODR (online dispute resolution) platform. CADR systems appear to offer a genuine alternative pathway for resolving small disputes, and raise questions of how they should be designed so as to provide feedback that can have regulatory function on traders" behavior, and what, if any, residual role courts may play. Speakers include leading ombudsmen and experts.

More information will follow soon.