ADR procedures should preferably be free of charge for the consumer. In the event that costs are applied, they should not exceed a nominal fee. Furthermore, in order to increase the accessibility and attractiveness of ADR procedures to consumers, Member States should encourage ADR entities to reimburse to consumers the nominal fee paid where and to the extent that a complaint is justified. It is important to clarify that such reimbursements are to be made by Member States, in full compliance with the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality, and not by others, for example by the other party to the ADR procedure.
Text as published in the Official Journal, reproduced verbatim (including any typographical quirks of the source). For the authentic version, see EUR-Lex.
