--- title: "Buyer-merchant conflicts could be resolved out of court, with the first ADR entity launching by year-end" url: https://moldova1.md/p/88869/buyer-merchant-conflicts-could-be-resolved-out-of-court-with-the-first-adr-entity-launching-by-year-end published: 2026-10-29T05:41:00Z language: en author: "Bogdan Nigai" section: "Economic" source: moldova1.md --- # Buyer-merchant conflicts could be resolved out of court, with the first ADR entity launching by year-end > Consumatorii din Republica Moldova ar putea avea la dispoziție un nou mecanism prin care să rezolve neînțelegerile cu comercianții fără să ajungă în instanța de judecată. Este vorba despre Soluționarea Alternativă a Litigiilor (SAL), un sistem prevăzut deja de legislație, dar care nu este încă funcțional. ![](https://storage.moldova1.md/images/40bc5925-0a9e-4e5b-8ce2-c47dbbdca1c4.jpg) Consumatorii din Republica Moldova ar putea avea la dispoziție un nou mecanism prin care să rezolve neînțelegerile cu comercianții fără să ajungă în instanța de judecată. Este vorba despre Soluționarea Alternativă a Litigiilor (SAL), un sistem prevăzut deja de legislație, dar care nu este încă funcțional. The authorities aim to establish the first entity responsible for this mechanism by the end of 2026, with operational procedures to be defined subsequently. Once implemented, this Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanism is intended to allow for the review of disputes within a timeframe of up to 90 days. The State Inspectorate for the Supervision of Non-Food Products and Consumer Protection is set to create the first such structure. It will have a role distinct from the institution’s routine activities and will be empowered to examine disputes in areas where no other specialized entities exist. The draft legislation required to amend the Inspectorate’s organizational structure has undergone public consultation and is now in the final stages of the approval process, explained Cristina Bolun, Head of the Consumer Protection and Market Surveillance Division at the Ministry of Economic Development and Digitalization. *"In terms of a timeline, we have set a goal to have this entity legally established within the Inspectorate by the end of 2026—by December,"* stated Cristina Bolun during the program "Eu si Uniunea Europeana" on Moldova 1 TV. However, creating this entity does not mean citizens can access its services immediately. After approving the legal amendments, the authorities will need to set rules for reviewing claims, procedures for reaching resolutions, and the conditions under which those resolutions will apply. *"Following that, there is an even greater task ahead: developing the procedures. Ultimately, the mechanism will not become functional the very day this subdivision or entity is established,"* said Cristina Bolun. **How ​​ADR (alternative dispute resolution) will work for consumers** Consumers can use the new mechanism when a buyer and a merchant fail to reach an agreement. For instance, if a purchased product is defective and the seller refuses to resolve the issue, the consumer may request that an ADR entity examine the dispute—provided that the steps stipulated by law have been followed. Unlike an inspection carried out by public authorities, this procedure is not primarily aimed at sanctioning the merchant. Instead, it aims to resolve the buyer's specific problem. *"This ADR entity acts as a mediator between the consumer and the merchant. It involves an individual known as a 'conciliator.' Essentially, the consumer and the merchant decide whether they prefer a proposed solution or a binding one,"* explained Mihaela Pascal, Executive Director of the European Consumer Centre in Moldova. Depending on the applicable procedure, the conciliator may propose a resolution to the conflict. If both parties accept the proposed solution, they can settle the dispute without court intervention. If they fail to reach an agreement, they can still pursue other legal protection mechanisms. One advantage of ADR is the shorter timeframe for case examination. Under the legislation, the conciliator must issue a decision within 90 days, whereas a court case can take much longer. Ultimately, however, the success of this mechanism will depend on the merchants' willingness to participate in the process and their openness to resolving disputes amicably. Currently, consumers who cannot resolve an issue directly with a seller may turn to competent authorities or the courts. However, the intervention of a regulatory or oversight body does not automatically guarantee that the person who filed the complaint will recover their money or receive the requested product. While the authority may identify a violation and impose a sanction, this does not necessarily resolve the individual dispute. According to data presented by Mihaela Pascal, over 5,600 consumers reached out to consumer protection authorities in 2025. The State Inspectorate for the Supervision of Non-Food Products and Consumer Protection alone reviewed more than 1,600 petitions. Some of these cases could be resolved through Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanisms, allowing oversight bodies to focus more on recurring violations and issues affecting large numbers of people. For the preparatory phase of the new structure, the Ministry of Economic Development and Digitalization has proposed allocating two staff positions within the Inspectorate. Initially, these employees would be tasked with organizing operations and developing the necessary procedures. The number of specialists who will handle disputes will be determined later, based on the volume of requests. Establishing a functional alternative dispute resolution mechanism is one of the measures required to bring the Republic of Moldova closer to European Union standards in the field of consumer protection. This area is included in Chapter 28, "Consumer and Health Protection"—part of the "Internal Market" cluster of chapters—for which accession negotiations were opened on October 13, 2026. [Video](https://www.youtube.com/embed/mRlf3HeuErw)