Alternative Dispute Settlement in the UN and the EU Internal Justice Systems: A Comparative Case Study - Arbitration: The International Journal of Arbitration, Mediation and Dispute Management View Alternative Dispute Settlement in the UN and the EU Internal Justice Systems: A Comparative Case Study by - Arbitration: The International Journal of Arbitration, Mediation and Dispute Management Alternative Dispute Settlement in the UN and the EU Internal Justice Systems: A Comparative Case Study 91 1

This article investigates whether informal dispute settlement may promote a faster and more efficient resolution of employment disputes in the United Nations (UN) reformed administration of justice. Some scholars have pointed out that it is difficult to answer this question without a benchmark. Accordingly, this article conducts a comparative analysis of UN and European Union (EU) alternative dispute resolution (‘ADR’) mechanisms for staff disputes. After describing how these organizations’ internal judicial systems emerged, the first section argues that structural deficiencies remain in the UN system and create an imbalance between disputants, which prevents ADR from delivering its full potential. Despite the limited available data regarding these organizations’ ADR practice, the second section contends that the European Ombudsman, a mechanism of good governance widely open to staff complainants, has legitimized ADR and led to durable positive institutional outcomes. Ultimately, this comparative study allows to draw both quantitative and qualitative findings to improve the UN system.

Arbitration: The International Journal of Arbitration, Mediation and Dispute Management