Consumer Protection & Dispute Resolution
Emerging Trends in International Consumer Protection...
Alternative dispute resolution, sustainable development goals, sustainable consumption and production, European Union, environmental sustainability
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) call for environmentally sustainable production and consumption in line with the green transition within the European Union (EU); however, the EU is yet to fully incorporate Alternative Dispute Resolution Mechanisms (ADR) in the resolution of environmental matters, let alone in providing redress for disgruntled consumers and traders. This paper attempts to analyse the effectiveness of the incorporation of ADR mechanisms in consumer protection disputes within the EU as an alternative to litigation, with a keen look at international emerging trends and international best practices.
WANJIRU, ANN WANJA
The Role of Smart Courts and Artificial Intelligence in Enhancing Consumer Protection...
Smart courts; artificial intelligence; consumer protection; access to justice; digital justice
This article examines how smart courts and artificial intelligence can strengthen consumer protection in civil law systems while also creating new risks for fair trial rights and equality before the law. It compares developments in the European Union, the United Kingdom, and China, focusing on online filing, virtual hearings, automated case management, AI-assisted document review, and judicial decision-support tools. The article argues that these technologies can improve access to justice for consumers by reducing delay, lowering costs, simplifying small claims procedures, and supporting cross-border dispute resolution. At the same time, it shows that algorithmic bias, black-box reasoning, automation bias, data protection concerns, and digital exclusion may undermine the very protective function that consumer law is meant to serve. The comparative analysis suggests that AI is most defensible in assistant functions, such as triage, translation, document organization, and procedural guidance, but is far more problematic when it approaches substantive adjudication. The article concludes that smart courts can contribute meaningfully to consumer justice only if they are designed around transparency, human oversight, inclusivity, and effective procedural safeguards.
OCHILBOEV, ABBOSBEK
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