2016, year of more widespread recourse to mediation

In many respects, 2016 will linger in the memory of members of the Club des Médiateurs de Services au Public (Club of Public services Mediators), who elected me chairman at the start of this year.

Because it marks the more widespread recourse to the mediation process which we have always championed.

Indeed, as the year draws to a close, 12 members of the Club are on the Consumption Mediators List in France, the designation reserved by the new independent authority, the CECMC (Mediation Evaluation and Control Commission for Consumption), exclusively for mediators meeting the provisions set out in the French Consumer Code. It is worth recalling that since mid-2015, the European Directive of 21 May 2013 on alternative dispute resolution for consumer disputes has been transposed into French law. I view this as concrete recognition of the quality of the Club’s members and their compliance with objective criteria concerning independence and efficiency, criteria that we have embodied since 2002, the year of the Club’s creation.

The strength of our Club lies in its diversity: it brings together consumption mediators, but also mediators vis-à-vis government bodies, public or private companies and local authorities, which are responsible for services to the public. This has allowed us, in particular, to remain guarantor of the underlying values mediation and anticipate future developments for almost 15 years.

And other evidence of more widespread adoption: in June 2016, our Club celebrated at Bercy (French Ministry of Finance), in the presence of Martine Pinville, Secretary of State for Consumer Affairs, the millionth referral since 2002 to a mediator who is member of the Club by a user or consumer.

All these developments led us to renew our Charter recently, constituting the new ethical reference base for mediation practiced by its members. In particular, we reaffirm our commitment to our values: independence; neutrality; impartiality, as well as to the principles applicable to the mediation process: fairness; transparency; no fee; confidentiality; effectiveness.

In the coming months, we will also aim to expand our training offer for mediators, both initial and continuing, in order to maintain our quality requirement at a consistently high level. Because we want mediation practiced by members of the Club de Médiateurs de Services au Public (Club of Public services Mediators) to be exemplary, and to occur within a process that requires professional skills and full familiarity with the institution or company.

The Club, also through me, now wishes to reaffirm its determination to continue with the development of mediation, high-quality mediation, as it has done in the past, because we are convinced that this approach is expected by users and consumers, as well as businesses, government bodies and local authorities. Since it creates trust.

Best regards.

Jean-Pierre Teyssier

Chairman of the Club de Médiateurs de Services au Public (Club of Public services Mediators)