News 2023/01/24

EJF joins business statement on Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence (CS3D)

EJF, along with 26 other European associations, has published a joint business statement on the European Commission’s proposal of the Corporate Sustainable Due Diligence Directive (CS3D). Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence is progressively becoming a key EU policy that concerns a large portion of the European business community. As such, EJF plans to closely follow the file and act according to our principles and objectives. In this crucial phase of the legislative process, the business community would like to put forward a number of recommendations and concerns to enhance the benefits of the corporate sustainability due diligence proposal.

While the Council adopted its negotiating position ('general approach') in November 2022, the European Parliament is still negotiating its position, where we expect a vote in Plenary to take place in May 2023 and for trilogues to begin in 2024. With these recommendations, the business community hopes that the European Parliament in particular, as it is fine tuning its position, can take them into account in the legislative process.

News 2024/03/21

Trialogue: CS3D passing Council agreement

On 15 March 2024, the Belgian Council Presidency successfully brokered an interinstitutional agreement on the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CS3D), presenting a compromise text that garnered the required Qualified Majority Voting. It underwent significant revisions to address the regulatory burden or alleviate it.

read more Trialogue: CS3D passing Council agreement

News 2023/12/18

EJF organises TPLF event with AmChamEU - "Access to justice but not for profit"

Legal experts, policymakers, and representatives from industry and consumer side as well as academia gathered on the 1^st of December for an insightful discussion on TPLF organized by EJF in collaboration with the American Chamber of Commerce to the European Union. The event delved into the crucial aspects of effective and fair delivery of justice, proportionality, sensible regulation, oversight, and transparency in the context of TPLF.

read more EJF organises TPLF event with AmChamEU - "Access to justice but not for profit"

News 2023/11/02

EJF Collaborates in the Joint Industry Statement Concerning PLD Proposed Revision

The European industry is deeply concerned about the proposed revision of the PLD. EJF and other European organizations have published an Industry Statement stating that the proposed revision, as it stands, could disrupt the balance between consumer protection and business interests, potentially leading to a culture of litigation in Europe. This imbalance would not only affect companies but also consumers: innovations could become too risky, and rising legal cost exposure might result in a cost spiral making products and services more expensive (social inflation).

The proposed changes to the directive may eliminate existing safeguards and create a litigation-friendly environment, increasing the legal risks and complexity for European businesses, especially smaller companies. The primary beneficiaries of these changes would be lawyers and third-party litigation funders, not consumers.

Moreover, there are questions over the expansion of the Directive to cover digital products, shifting the burden of proof, and its disclosure of evidence provisions, all of which pose significant challenges for businesses. We urge European policymakers to reconsider these measures and strike a balance that modernizes product liability without undermining innovation and legal certainty.

Read the full statement here.

read more EJF Collaborates in the Joint Industry Statement Concerning PLD Proposed Revision

News 2023/10/19

EJF Policy Proposal: Advancing Access to and Effective Delivery of Justice in the EU

In the run-up to the 2024 European elections, the political groups of the European Parliament are developing their electoral manifestos to establish their priorities for the upcoming legislative period. As part of our mission to advancing progressive values and strengthening the civil justice system throughout the European Union, EJF has submitted various policy proposals to be included in their manifestos. These proposals are meant to address the importance of avoiding court congestion by prioritizing alternative dispute resolution methods. They also emphasize the need to regulate private litigation funding to prevent exploitation for profit. Furthermore, they call for enhancements to the EU-wide system for handling cross-border mass claims. Lastly, the proposals highlight the importance of maintaining a balance in liability regulations to encourage innovation while protecting consumers.

By championing these policy proposals, the political groups from the European Parliament could demonstrate their commitment to progressive legal reforms that enhance legal clarity, cross-border coordination, and justice delivery for citizens and stakeholders across the European Union.

read more EJF Policy Proposal: Advancing Access to and Effective Delivery of Justice in the EU

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