Research commissioned by The European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) is published

The EU’s Representative Actions Directive, adopted in 2020, was a big step forward in allowing consumers to receive compensation for the harm they have suffered. But whether this tool actually works in practice still depends on many national rules, leading to inconsistencies and challenges in areas such as compensation for immaterial damage, burden of proof and evidence disclosure, and case financing.

Last year BEUC commissioned a group of independent researchers to look into national situations. The researchers involved included Peter Rott (Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg), Axel Halfmeier (Leuphana University of Lüneburg), Laura Bugatti (University of Brescia) and Wannes Vandenbussche.

The study focuses on these three aforementioned key areas, analysing how they are regulated in Belgium, Germany, Italy, and Poland, identifying obstacles and sharing examples of best practices to improve consumers’ access to justice

Check the study: Comparative Legal Study on Procedural Rules and their Impact on Collective Redress Actions in Europe