No definite conclusion could be reached. Some participants would require that the victim s habitual residence forum coincide with at least part of the injury. In the matter of data protection, the Round Table recognised that data collection, personal data included, and processing thereof are inherent to electronic commerce. The dichotomy between systems which do not accept general standards and those which require a rigid a priori framework for the collection and transfer of data should be avoided. Furthermore, it is necessary to carry out a study on the most relevant system of applicable law which would also allow a greater role to self-regulation and model contracts such as those proposed by the icc and in line with the principles recommended by the Council of Europe.
Techniques currently do exist to protect confidentiality.
It was suggested that States should encourage the use of those techniques. Finally, the Round Table encouraged the development of on-line dispute resolution mechanisms and of standards of procedure relevant for this new method of dispute resolution. The Hague Conference on Private International Law. All Rights Reserved.