European Commission - Directorate General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology

10/20/2026 | News release | Distributed by Public on 10/21/2026 04:23

Commission holds regulatory dialogue on the out-of-court dispute settlement mechanism under the DSA

On 20 October 2026, the Commission organised a multilateral dialogue with providers of Very Large Online Platforms (VLOPs) and Digital Services Coordinators (DSCs) on the out-of-court dispute settlement (ODS) mechanism under the Digital Services Act (DSA).

Out-of-court dispute settlement (ODS) is a specific mechanism introduced by the DSA that allows users to challenge content moderation decisions taken by platforms. It provides users in the EU with a cost-effective and quicker alternative to court proceedings when they disagree with a platform's content moderation decision.

During the dialogue, platform representatives presented their views on challenges related to the ODS mechanism. DSCs also presented their work to establish best practices for Article 21 of the DSA within the European Board for Digital Services (EBDS). DSCs play a crucial role in the process, particularly as regards to the certification and functioning of ODS.

In addition, participants discussed the specific challenges faced when implementing the ODS mechanism, including:

  • The way platforms inform users about the possibility of using ODS
  • Approaches to determining which moderation decisions are eligible for review by ODS bodies
  • Exchange of case-related information between platforms and ODS bodies
  • Fees charged in relation to ODS disputes
  • The implementation of ODS decisions

Monitoring the implementation of Article 21 of the DSA is important because ODS form one of the core rights the DSA gives to online users, which the Commission is committed to safeguard.

To assess these five areas of implementation of Article 21 of the DSA, the Commission engaged an external contractor, to conduct a study - which has been recently concluded and will be published soon.

The findings of the report, the exchanges held during the dialogue and the engagement with certified ODS bodies, will support the Commission's ongoing work on the implementation of Article 21 of the DSA.

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European Commission - Directorate General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology published this content on October 20, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on October 21, 2026 at 10:24 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]