However, consumers should also have access to alternative dispute resolution procedures in the event of pre-contractual disputes concerning rights and obligations established by this Directive, for example when they are denied access to a payment account with basic features. This Directive therefore provides that consumers should have access to alternative dispute resolution procedures for the settlement of disputes concerning rights and obligations established by this Directive, without distinguishing between contractual and pre-contractual disputes.

The Green Paper launched a consultation on measures concerning the simplification and the speeding up of small claims litigation.

On 20 December 2002, the Commission adopted a Green Paper on a European order for payment procedure and on measures to simplify and speed up small claims litigation.

3. Member States shall ensure that they have in place dispute settlement arrangements, including an authority independent of the parties with access to all relevant information, to enable disputes relating to access to upstream pipeline networks to be settled expeditiously, taking into account the criteria in paragraph 2 and the number of parties which may be involved in negotiating access to such networks.

I reflected on those people afflicted and damaged in divorce and access disputes who are looking to this committee to improve the situation.

Thus, disputes relating to questions such as who holds the right to a patented invention, for example in the relationship between an employer and an employee, the contractual consequences of non-compliance with the clauses of a contractual licence, or disputes relating to the transfer of a patent fall under the jurisdiction of national courts.