Extract

Collective redress is a topic which attracts considerable attention in its own right, in Europe as in other parts the world. It is of considerable political sensitivity, and perhaps one of the most potent weapons available to any legal system in terms of enforcement of rights and redistribution of wealth. This chapter traces the developments in the Commission’s work on the topic, which were originally closely bound up with the damages initiative, but which later became more dissociated from it. It looks at the arguments that can be made, as a matter of law, for collective action at EU level, examining a variety of policy fields. It contains detailed examination of developments at national level, both in the field of competition law litigation, and beyond. It draws, in addition, a comparative comparison with class actions in the US.