Informal information processing in dispute resolution networks: informality versus the protection of individual’s rights?

In the last two decades the EU Commission has launched and supported a number of networks’ initiatives, aimed at providing an alternative to the courts in protecting individuals against alleged misapplications of European law by national authorities. Starting from the analysis of three of such networks of administrative cooperation (SOLVIT, PPN and EU Pilot), all of them developed in an informal way and lacking any formal legal basis, the articles points out the problems arising in the specific field of information management.The informal way of working such alternative tools utilize is indeed too informal, if one considers the huge quantity of information which are conveyed and exchanged within these networks.The future development of such networks has therefore to cope first of all with information exchanges and transparency issues which are strictly related to citizens’ rights and their protection.