December 10, Bucharest. The mission of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Center in Banking (CSALB) has evolved over the past 10 years: from a platform for amicable dispute resolution, helping parties avoid court altogether, into an entity that also resolves disputes already pending before the courts.

In recent years, 800 lawsuits that had already been initiated in court were resolved through conciliation within CSALB. How does this work in practice? At the recommendation of judges, at the proposal of the bank, or at the initiative of consumers, parties involved in litigation may request (before or after the first court hearing) the identification of a fair, fast, and cost-free solution for consumers within CSALB. The highest number of requests aimed at ending court proceedings through CSALB come from the counties of Cluj, Mureș, Alba, and Harghita. The most common types of lawsuits pending before courts that ultimately reach amicable resolution concern the renegotiation of clauses in loan agreements, resulting in the restitution of sums of money to consumers. Other disputes involve challenges to enforcement proceedings or debt settlement through “giving in payment”.

What solutions can be obtained through negotiations? Excerpts from decisions issued by CSALB:

Two cases pending before the Alba Iulia District Court since 2024 were settled amicably within CSALB: “Following negotiations, the bank agrees to compensation amounting to EUR 1,600 and RON 3,500 in legal costs for a loan agreement concluded in 2007. At the same time, the bank grants compensation of EUR 7,400 and RON 3,500 in legal costs for another loan contracted in 2007. The amounts will be used for the full repayment of the loans, with any remaining balance staying in the account at the consumers’ disposal. The consumers undertake to withdraw their court claims. They will request the court to issue a ruling acknowledging these withdrawals and the amicable settlement reached within CSALB.”

„For the purpose of amicably settling the 2025 dispute, the merchant shall grant the consumer the following: compensation in the amount of RON 27,700 and RON 3,600 in legal costs. By accepting the solution, the consumers waive any further claims related to legal costs and other amounts owed and subject to judgment in the aforementioned dispute. The claimant consumers undertake to withdraw the lawsuit and file the withdrawal request with the court. The bank’s implementation of the amicable settlement offer shall be carried out on the basis of the conciliation decision and the withdrawal request.”

„For the purpose of amicably settling the dispute pending before the Târgu Mureș court in 2025, the bank offers the consumer compensation of RON 4,200 and RON 2,400 in legal costs. The claimant consumers undertake to withdraw the lawsuit and file the request asking the court to acknowledge this withdrawal. The implementation of the bank’s amicable settlement offer shall be carried out on the basis of the conciliation decision, which has the force of a court ruling.”

„For the purpose of amicably resolving the enforcement case, the merchant shall enter into a payment commitment with the consumer F.R., whereby, as debtor, she will pay RON 500 per month toward the full settlement of the receivable (including interest, penalties, and outstanding debt) and the related enforcement costs. The amount will be transferred to the bailiff’s account. The payment commitment must be complied with monthly; otherwise, enforcement proceedings will be resumed in all forms provided by law.”

Alexandru Păunescu, representative of the National Bank of Romania in the Coordinating Council of CSALB:

“Requests aimed at the alternative resolution of disputes at various stages of court proceedings can be resolved within CSALB in just a few days. From an operational standpoint, requests originating from courts enter a faster resolution workflow, as both parties are already familiar with the issue that led to the dispute.

The advantages of reaching an agreement outside the courts, with the support of a conciliator, are clear. Proceedings are shortened from several years to just a few days, and financial costs are reduced to zero, as conciliation is free for consumers.

The settlement rate for cases referred from courts is 100%, a sign that hundreds of people have recognized the benefits of conciliation compared to the uncertainty and costs of traditional litigation and have chosen the path of mutual concessions rather than waiting for a court decision that would favor only one of the two parties.

This maximum rate has another explanation: both consumers and banks have understood that within CSALB they must abandon adversarial arguments and attitudes, as well as the claims submitted in court. In conciliation, parties no longer need to persuade a judge through arguments and documents, but rather negotiate with the other party, through a conciliator, in order to jointly find fair and mutually advantageous solutions.

The fair approach proposed during negotiations by the Center’s conciliators primarily takes into account consumers’ personal circumstances and less the strict letter of the contract. This is because, in most cases, people bring banks to court even when their problem is not legal in nature but financial. For example, people want to pay lower loan installments—something a court cannot decide. Through CSALB, consumers can regain financial balance and continue their loan agreements in an optimized form, adapted to their current situation and needs.

Our firm recommendation to banks is to analyze their portfolio of court cases to identify those where an agreement with consumers is possible and to actively encourage them toward conciliation.

Last but not least, alternative dispute resolution within CSALB aligns with the legal recommendation made by judges to litigating parties to attempt reconciliation before commencing proceedings. Therefore, a simple notification from judges about the existence of CSALB could quickly and cost-free resolve a financial issue and relieve courts of lengthy and complex cases.”

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About CSALB: CSALB is an entity established following a European directive, offering free and quick mediation—under three months—between consumers and banks or non-bank financial institutions for ongoing contracts. Consumers from any Romanian county can submit requests to the Alternative Banking Dispute Resolution Center (CSALB) by filling out an online form on www.csalb.ro. If the bank agrees to enter negotiation, a conciliator is appointed. CSALB works with 16 of the top legal and financial experts in Romania. All cases are settled amicably, and the resulting agreement holds the legal power of a court decision.