Alternative consumer protection methods in the context of civil law recodification

Inna Horislavska
Abstract

Modern challenges require innovative approaches to understanding law and its individual institutions. A person with their rights and interests requires special legal ‘attention’ in matters of their protection, including consumer protection. The purpose of this study was to define the legal and research- to-practice foundations of alternative methods of consumer protection (mediation) and to investigate the international practices of using mediation in resolving disputes involving consumers. The study employed the methods of hermeneutics, modelling, forecasting, comparative legal, and formal legal methods. The study identified modern national and international approaches to understanding such categories as “protection of civil rights and interests”, “protection of consumer rights”, and “alternative ways of protecting civil rights and interests”. The study outlined the scientific and regulatory positions in the use of mediation for consumer protection. The study analysed international practices of consumer dispute resolution which are alternative to court procedures as well as the possibilities of effective application of such practices after the entry into force of new provisions of national consumer protection legislation. Innovations of consumer protection legislation in Ukraine were covered, along with the prospects for their operation in the post-war period, and the ways of integrating mediation into the judicial system. The study examined the European Union legislation governing the issues of alternative dispute resolution involving consumers. The court practice of applying the procedure for suspension of proceedings in cases involving the transfer of a dispute to mediation was covered. The materials presented and the findings of this study will be useful for representatives of public authorities and local self-government bodies

Keywords

protection of civil rights and interests; reconsideration of civil legislation; alternative ways of civil rights and interests’ protection; dispute resolution; mediation

Suggested citation
Horislavska, I. (2025). Alternative consumer protection methods in the context of civil law recodification. Law. Human. Environment, 16(1), 90-104. https://doi.org/10.31548/law/1.2025.90
References

[1] Annual reports of the Commissioner of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine for Human Rights on the state of observance and protection of human and civil rights and freedoms in Ukraine. (2023). Retrieved from https://ombudsman.gov.ua/report-2023/.

[2] Annual reports of the Commissioner of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine for Human Rights on the state of observance and protection of human and civil rights and freedoms in Ukraine. (2022). Retrieved from https://ombudsman.gov.ua/report-2022/.

[3] Bilak, M., Prytyka, Yu., Spektor, O., & Khomenko, M. (2019). Alternative methods of resolving disputes. Kharkiv: Pravo.

[4] Bodnar, T. (2020) Some problematic aspects of the exercise and protection of property rights of spouses. Bulletin of the National Academy of Legal Sciences of Ukraine, 27(1),72-88. doi: 10.31359/199309092020271-72.

[5] Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution. (2024). Consumer disputes. Retrieved from https://www. cedr.com/consumer/.

[6] Civil Code of Ukraine. (2003, January). Retrieved from https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/435-15#Text.

[7] Civil Mediation Council. (2021). Retrieved from https://civilmediation.org/what-is-the-cmc/.

[8] Civil Procedure Code of Ukraine. (2004, March). Retrieved from https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/1618-15#Text.

[9] Derevyanko, B., Greshchuk, G., & Turkot O. (2023). Application of alternative methods of protecting the rights of business entities: Ukrainian realities and experience of EU countries. Economics and Law, 1(68), 34-39. doi: 10.15407/econlaw.2023.01.034.

[10] Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council No. 2008/52/EC “On Certain Aspects of Mediation in Civil and Commercial Matters”. (2008, May). Retrieved from https://ukrmediation.com.ua/images/DOCS/Model-documents/mediation-directive-ukr.pdf.

[11] Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council No. 2013/11/EU “On Alternative Dispute Resolution for Consumer Disputes and Amending Regulation (EC) No. 2006/2004 and Directive 2009/22/EC”. (2013, May). Retrieved from https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/984_041-13#Text.

[12] Dolynska, M. (2020). Notarial form of protection of rights and interests of business entities. In М. Dolynska (Ed.), Non-jurisdictional forms of protection of rights and interests of economic entities (pp. 33-57). Lviv: Galician Publishing Union.

[13] Dzera, I. (2022). Reforming the grounds and methods of protecting civil rights and interests in the context of recodification of the Central Code of Ukraine. In International scientific and practical conference “Protection of rights and interests in the context of reforming private law in Ukraine” (pр. 35-40). Kyiv: NaUKMA.

[14] Fidrya, Yu. (2024). Alternative methods of dispute resolution: Theoretical and practical aspects. Scientific Bulletin of Uzhhorod National University, 86(2), 242-247. doi: 10.24144/2307- 3322.2024.86.2.37.

[15] Gómez, P.L., & Tremolosa, I.A. (2024). Health mediation as an alternative means of conflict resolution in the practice of medicine in turbulent times: An update. Medicina Clínica, 162(1), 29-34. doi: 10.1016/j.medcle.2023.07.016.

[16] Hnativ, O., Kossak, V., Tsikalo, V., Rym, T., & Pasailiuk, I. (2023). Methodology of legal regulation of private relations in Ukraine. Social and Legal Studios, 6(4), 69-76. doi: 10.32518/sals4.2023.69.

[17] Izbash, O. (2022). Mediation and alternative dispute resolution online. Kyiv Law Journal, 1, 80-85. doi: 10.32782/klj/2022.1.12.

[18] Judgment of the European Court (First Chamber) in Case No. C-75/16 “Livio Menini and Maria Antonia Rampanelli v. Banco Popolare Società Cooperativa”. (2017, June). Retrieved from https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A62016CJ0075&qid=1737976686570.

[19] Karmaza, O. (2024). Mediation as an alternative form of resolving electoral disputes (conflicts) in Ukraine: Advantages, disadvantages and recommendations. Legal Scientific Electronic Journal, 7, 46-49. doi: 10.32782/2524-0374/2024-7/9.

[20] Kostyuchenko, О., Monayenko, А., & Atamanchuk, N. (2022). Mediation as a form of protection of civil rights. New Ukrainian Law, 1, 51-55. doi: 10.51989/NUL.2022.1.7.

[21] Kot, О. (2019). Correlation between protection of rights and civil liability responsibility. In Modernisation of civil liability. Matveyevʼs civilistic readings (pp. 89-93). Kyiv: Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv.

[22] Kot, О.O. (2024). On the question of the conditions for the exercise of subjective civil rights. In O.O. Kot, A.B. Hryniak & M.M. Velikanova (Eds.), Civil law of Ukraine: A look into the future. International civil forum (pр. 57-59). Odesa: Publishing house “Yurydika”.

[23] Kurkova, K., & Shkarupa, K. (2024). Online resolution of legal disputes: On the issue of the development of the ODR concept in foreign practice. Legal Scientific Electronic, 4, 774-766. doi: 10.32782/2524-0374/2024-4/187.

[24] Kuznetsova N. (2019). Institute of civil liability in the context of recodification of civil law of Ukraine. In Modernisation of civil liability. Matveyev’s civilistic readings (pр. 112-114). Kyiv: Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv.

[25] Kuznetsova, N. (2021). Recodification of the civil legislation of Ukraine: Challenges of time. Odesa: Helvetica Publishing House.

[26] Kyselova, Т. (2027). Programme document. Integration of mediation into the judicial system of Ukraine. Retrieved from https://surl.li/prglii.

[27] Law of Ukraine No. 1591-IX “On Payment Services”. (2021, June). Retrieved from https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/1591-20/conv#n485.

[28] Law of Ukraine No. 1875-IX “On Mediation”. (2021, November). Retrieved from https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/1875-20#Text.

[29] Law of Ukraine No. 2671-VIII “On Social Services”. (2019, January). Retrieved from https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/2671-19#Text.

[30] Law of Ukraine No. 3153-IX “On Protection of Consumer Rights”. (2023, June). Retrieved from https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/3153-20#Text.

[31] Law of Ukraine No. 393/96-ВР “On Citizens’ Appeals”. (1996, October). Retrieved from https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/393/96-%D0%B2%D1%80#Text.

[32] Law of Ukraine No. 675-VIII “On Electronic Commerce”. (2015, September). Retrieved from https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/675-19#Text.

[33] Linares-Bernabéu, E. (2023). Mediating through question-asking: A sociopragmatic analysis of epistemic stance negotiation in everyday conversation. Journal of Pragmatics, 213, 49-66. doi: 10.1016/j.pragma.2023.05.019.

[34] Mazaraki, N. (2018). Mediation in Ukraine: Theory and practice. Kyiv National University of Trade and Economics University.

[35] Meniv, L., & Diniuk, A. (2024). Improving the protection of consumer rights under martial law. Scientific Bulletin of the Uzhgorod National University, 85, 267-270. doi: 10.24144/2307-3322.2024.85.1.38.

[36] Okudan, O., & Çevikbaş, M. (2022). Alternative dispute resolution selection framework to settle disputes in public-private partnership projects. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 148(9). doi: 10.1061/(ASCE)CO.1943-7862.0002351.

[37] Petrenko, N. (2022). On the distinction between the concepts of “conciliation procedures”, “pre- trial dispute settlement procedure”, “methods of alternative dispute resolution. In International scientific and practical conference “The European choice of Ukraine, the development of science and national security in the realities of large-scale military aggression and global challenges of the 21st century” (pр. 206-208). Odesa: Publishing House.

[38] Plotnikova, M., Rudenko, L., & Shvager, O. (2023). European standards of consumer protection of financial services. Sumy: Sumy State University.

[39] Popova, A., & Turgeneva, A. (2021). Experience of using mediation in Scandinavian countries: Opportunities for domestic mediation practices in the field of social work. Social Work and Education, 8(2), 260-274. doi: 10.25128/2520-6230.21.2.10.

[40] Prytyka, Yu., & Levina, Ya. (2023). The concept and essence of the principle of voluntariness in mediation proceduresScientific Collection “InterConf”, 150, 326-334.

[41] Raman, P., Ayush Tandon, M., & Pandey, P. (2022). Alternative dispute resolution (ADR) with human rights through European legislation. Journal of Legal Studies & Research, 8(5), 137-145. doi: 10.55662/JLSR.2022.8503.

[42] Register of court decisions. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://reyestr.court.gov.ua/.

[43] Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council No. 524/2013 “On the Online Dispute Resolution of Consumer Disputes and Amending Regulation (EC) No. 2006/2004 and Directive 2009/22/EC (Regulation on Consumer ODR)”. (2013, May). Retrieved from https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2013/524/oj/eng.

[44] Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine No. 650 “On the Establishment of a Working Group on Recodification (Update) of the Civil Legislation of Ukraine”. (2019, July). Retrieved from https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/650-2019-%D0%BF#Text.

[45] Rudnytska, O. (2022). Non-jurisdictional ways of protecting civil rights. Actual Problems of National Jurisprudence, 6, 64-68. doi: 10.32782/39221388.