A new law allowing groups of EU consumers to launch collective
actions against traders has passed through the final stages of the
legislative process and will enter into force soon.
This morning, the European Parliament endorsed the text of the
EU's representative actions directive. A direct response to
events like "Dieselgate", these measures are designed to
facilitate the collective redress of mass harms in the EU.
The new directive will enable group actions on behalf of
consumers for alleged breaches by traders of a wide range of EU
laws, including consumer rights, product liability and product
safety. These actions can be brought in one EU country, or cross
border in multiple EU countries. Redress will include injunctions
and compensation, as well as product repair, replacement and
refund.
