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Collective Consumer Redress in E urope. Recent developments and future perspectives. Collective Consumer Redress in E urope. A. Intro – The Costa Concordia disaster What kind of consumer redress is availible in different European countries?
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Collective Consumer Redressin Europe Recentdevelopmentsandfutureperspectives
Collective Consumer Redress in Europe A. Intro – The Costa Concordia disaster • Whatkindofconsumerredressisavailible in different European countries? • The proceduralrelationbetweenseveralcourtactions in different countries based on the same event
Collective Consumer Redress in Europe B. Forms ofcollectiveconsumerredress in Europe • Competitivevarietyofefficientremediesformassgrievancesandcollectedsmallclaims • Group actions – examples: • In Sweden (grupp talan) andotherScandinavian countries • In Poland • In Spain and Portugal • In Italy • In England (Group Litigation Order, GLO) • In Austria
Collective Consumer Redress in Europe 2. Association‘ssuit Injunctiverelief: European InjunctionDirective 98/27 implemented Collective damages: France (actioncivil) 3. Test cases Usually: informal/indirectwaytoextendproceduraleffecttomanyotherdisputes Special statutoryregime: German Capital Investment Model ProceedingAct (CIMPA, KapMuG)
Collective Consumer Redress in Europe Functions: • Group actionsandtestcases: primarilyfor „judicialeconomy“ (efficientpreceduralhandlingandbundlingtogethermanyclaims) • Association‘ssuits: grantingaccesstothecourtsforsmallclaims= efficientenforcementoflaw
Collective Consumer Redress in Europe C. Jurisdictionand parallel proceedings 1. Brussels Regulation I • General: defendant‘sseat (Art. 2) • Consumer disputes: consumer‘s/plaintiff‘shome (Arts. 15, 16) • Torts: in caseof „distanttorts“ eitherplaceoftortiousconduct/act orplaceofharmfuleffects (damageoccurence) (Art. 5 no. 3: globalismprinciple)
Collective Consumer Redress in Europe Forum shopping? Unrealisticchoice: • Plaintiffusuallyprefershomeforum • Even in „distanttorts“ plaintiffremainsfaithful • Consumer jurisdiction (Arts. 15, 16) cannotbepractised in collectiveproceedings • Forum selectionagreement= exclusive!
Collective Consumer Redress in Europe 2. Jurisdiction on non-European courts: • Concordia litigation: jurisdictionclause Genova • Jurisdictionof US courts: onlyifforumselectionclauseis not recognized!
Collective Consumer Redress in Europe 3. General: • Forum shopping not completelyimpossible (criteriaforplaintiff‘schoice?), but rarelytobepractised • In Europe forumshoppingonlyifnoexclusivejurisdictionforoneforum • Filing a classaction in the US not promising on behalf of European classmembers (sweetrevengefor non-recognition!) = no real international competitionofjurisdictions!
Collective Consumer Redress in Europe 4. Objectionofpendingsuit (lisalibipendens): • a) Within Europe: „thelaterseizedcourtshallstaytheproceedings“ (Art. 27 Brussels I) • b) Pendingsuit outside Europe (e. g. USA) – domesticlawapplies: • Priorityforthefirstsuit, ifrecognizeable in thesecondforum (= secondsuitisdismissed) • c)Identity ofpartiesanddisputed matter required (delicatequestion in classaction an parallel association‘ssuit!)
Collective Consumer Redress in Europe 5. The European Parliament‘s „Horizontal Instrument“ Proposalof Feb. 9, 2012: • Introductionof a specialEuropean instrument on collectiveclaimsforconsumers • Opt-in principle (noclassaction!) • Noincentivesespeciallyencouragingcollectivelitigation, hence: nomisuse potential like US classaction