An article from www.ots.at states that the implementation of the Collective Actions Directive in Austria is seen as a major step for consumer protection. This change in the law enables consumers to assert their rights more easily and quickly through collective actions in the event of major damage events such as the diesel scandal or faulty contraceptive coils.
Until now, it was often difficult for consumers to assert their rights against large companies and corporations. Going to court involved a lot of effort and high financial risk. With the introduction of class action lawsuits, consumer protection organizations can now collect the rights of the injured parties and represent them jointly in court. This means that the injured parties no longer have to deal with the financial and legal risks alone.
Another important aspect of the change in the law is the explicit possibility for consumers to take advantage of litigation funding. This protects them from the high costs of legal proceedings. In addition, the proposed suspension of the statute of limitations ensures that those affected can assert their claims long after the damage has occurred.
Ulrike Fischer, consumer protection spokesperson for the Greens, is pleased with the government's proposal and stresses that it implements long-standing demands from consumer advocates. Today's presentation of the government proposal thus marks a milestone for consumer protection in Austria.
The implementation of the Collective Actions Directive will enable consumers to enforce their rights more effectively and to assert claims for damages more easily in the event of major damage events. The provisions on litigation funding and the suspension of limitation periods offer additional protection to those affected. This change in the law is expected to have a positive impact on consumer protection in Austria.
In addition to the current development, further information published before April 2023 is available. This information makes it clear that consumer protection has long been an important issue in Austria and that the implementation of the Collective Actions Directive represents a milestone in this area. Further efforts and proposals to strengthen consumer protection have been discussed in the past and can serve as a basis for future measures. It remains to be seen how these innovations will affect consumer protection and whether further improvements can be implemented in this area.
Source: die-nachrichten.at
