Out-of-Court Dispute Settlement Body
Out-of-Court Dispute Settlement Body (OCDR Body) is an entity whose status as a body competent to resolve disputes between service recipients (users) and providers of online platforms concerning content moderation decisions has been certified by the national coordinator for digital services.
In the Republic of Croatia, the role of national coordinator for digital services, responsible for certifying bodies for out-of-court dispute settlement, is performed by HAKOM. In accordance with the Digital Services Act (DSA), such bodies provide users with an additional mechanism to challenge decisions of online platforms, once the platform’s internal complaint-handling process has been exhausted.
Bodies for out-of-court dispute settlement represent an alternative to judicial proceedings, enabling disputes to be resolved more quickly and at lower cost. Users nevertheless retain the right to initiate judicial proceedings, and both platforms and users are obliged to participate in the process in good faith.
In order to obtain the status of a certified body for out-of-court dispute settlement, an applicant must meet the conditions set out in Article 21 of the DSA, including:
Out-of-court dispute settlement bodies established in the Republic of Croatia that wish to obtain the status of a certified out-of-court dispute settlement body may submit an application to HAKOM, as Croatia’s Digital Services Coordinator, for certification in accordance with the conditions laid down in Article 21 of the DSA and the Ordinance on the Criteria and Procedure for Certifying Out-of-Court Dispute Settlement Bodies.The draft Ordinance is currently undergoing public consultation, which runs from 18 September to 19 October 2026
Irrespective of whether a certified body exists in the Republic of Croatia, users may, in accordance with the DSA, approach any body for out-of-court dispute settlement certified in a Member State of the European Union, taking into account its area of expertise and the language in which it operates.
The list of certified bodies is published and maintained by the European Commission and is available at the following link.
In the Republic of Croatia, the role of national coordinator for digital services, responsible for certifying bodies for out-of-court dispute settlement, is performed by HAKOM. In accordance with the Digital Services Act (DSA), such bodies provide users with an additional mechanism to challenge decisions of online platforms, once the platform’s internal complaint-handling process has been exhausted.
Bodies for out-of-court dispute settlement represent an alternative to judicial proceedings, enabling disputes to be resolved more quickly and at lower cost. Users nevertheless retain the right to initiate judicial proceedings, and both platforms and users are obliged to participate in the process in good faith.
In order to obtain the status of a certified body for out-of-court dispute settlement, an applicant must meet the conditions set out in Article 21 of the DSA, including:
- impartiality and independence, including financial independence, in relation to online platform providers and service recipients;
- appropriate expertise to adjudicate disputes in one or more areas of unlawful content or concerning the application and enforcement of the terms of service of one or more types of online platforms;
- ensuring that its members receive remuneration in a manner that is not linked to the outcome of the proceedings;
- availability of the procedure electronically, including the possibility of submitting applications and supporting documentation online;
- the ability to resolve disputes swiftly, effectively, and cost‑efficiently, in at least one official language of the European Union;
- conduct in accordance with clear, fair, and publicly accessible procedural rules.
Out-of-court dispute settlement bodies established in the Republic of Croatia that wish to obtain the status of a certified out-of-court dispute settlement body may submit an application to HAKOM, as Croatia’s Digital Services Coordinator, for certification in accordance with the conditions laid down in Article 21 of the DSA and the Ordinance on the Criteria and Procedure for Certifying Out-of-Court Dispute Settlement Bodies.The draft Ordinance is currently undergoing public consultation, which runs from 18 September to 19 October 2026
Irrespective of whether a certified body exists in the Republic of Croatia, users may, in accordance with the DSA, approach any body for out-of-court dispute settlement certified in a Member State of the European Union, taking into account its area of expertise and the language in which it operates.
The list of certified bodies is published and maintained by the European Commission and is available at the following link.