TFL Vsebine / Pravni letopis

Pred petimi leti je bil sprejet Zakon o kolektivnih tožbah (ZKolT), ki je v pravnem redu Republike Slovenije zagotovil možnost uveljavljanja kolektivne odškodninske tožbe v primeru določenih množičnih oškodovanj, enotno ureditev kolektivnih opustitvenih tožb in kolektivno poravnavo. Stroške postopka in financiranje kolektivne tožbe ZKolT ureja v V. poglavju, pri čemer v slovenski pravni red uvaja nekatere nove pravne institute. To so financiranje kolektivne tožbe s strani tretje osebe (TPLF), sui generis odvetniško financiranje kolektivne tožbe s prevzemom stroškovnega tveganja in varščina za stroške postopka. Slovenija tako spada med redke države članice EU, ki zakonsko urejajo institut financiranja kolektivne tožbe s strani tretjih oseb. ZKolT pri urejanju financiranja kolektivne tožbe s strani tretjih oseb večinoma nekritično prenaša Priporočilo Evropske komisije z dne 11. junija 2013 o skupnih načelih za mehanizme kolektivnih opustitvenih in odškodninskih tožb v državah članicah v zvezi s kršitvami pravic iz prava Unije 2013/396/EU, s tem pa tudi njegove številne pomanjkljivosti in protislovja. V prispevku potrdim tezo, da je glede na ureditev iz 59. člena ZKolT pristno (stricto sensu) financiranje kolektivne tožbe s strani tretje osebe dejansko onemogočeno, saj je strukturirano kot dolžniški instrument (posojilo). Na njegovo mesto pa stopa sporno sui generis odvetniško financiranje kolektivne tožbe s prevzemom stroškovnega tveganja iz 61. člena ZKolT, pri čemer pa ni povsem jasno, ali (tudi) zanj veljajo jamstva in varovalke iz 59. člena ZKolT. V prispevku z analizo določb V. poglavja ZKolT poudarjam odprta vprašanja uporabe instituta financiranja kolektivne tožbe s strani tretje osebe, iščem odgovore nanje in slovenskim sodiščem ponujam oporne točke za napolnjevanje številnih pravnih standardov, s katerimi je prežeta ureditev v ZKolT. Sklepno predlagam tudi razmislek o mogočih sistemskih spremembah in dopolnitvah V. poglavja ZKolT glede na nedavno sprejeto Resolucijo Evropskega parlamenta z dne 13. septembra 2022 s priporočili Komisiji za odgovorno zasebno financiranje pravdnih postopkov (2020/2130(INL)).

Five years ago, the Slovenian Collective Actions Act (ZKolT) was adopted, which in the legal order of the Republic of Slovenia ensured the possibility of compensatory and injunctive collective redress, as well as collective settlement. Procedural costs and the financing (funding) of collective actions are regulated by the ZKolT in Chapter V, introducing some new legal institutes into the Slovenian legal order, i.e. third-party litigation funding of collective redress (TPLF); sui generis attorney funding of collective redress with assumption of cost risk; and security for costs. Slovenia is thus one of the few EU member states that regulate the institution of TPLF of collective actions.In regulating TPLF of collective redress, the ZKolT cursory transfers the Commission Recommendation of 11 June 2013 on common principles for injunctive and compensatory collective redress mechanisms in the Member States concerning violations of rights granted under Union Law (2013/396/EU), thereby as well as its many flaws and contradictions. In the contribution, I confirm the thesis that according to the regulation from Article 59 of the ZKolT, genuine (stricto sensu) TPLF of collective actions is virtually impossible, since it is structured as a debt instrument (loan). In its place comes the controversial sui generis attorney financing of collective actions with the assumption of cost risk (Article 61 of the ZKolT), but it is not clear whether the guarantees and safeguards from Article 59 of the ZKolT apply to it. In the contribution, through the analysis of the provisions of Chapter V of the ZKolT, I high-light intricate issues of the application of TPLF of collective redress, seek for answers, and offer Slovenian courts points of reference for interpreting the numerous legal standards of the ZKolT. I conclude by proposing a reflection on possible systemic changes and additions to Chapter V of the ZKolT, in light of the recently adopted Resolution of the European Parliament of September 13, 2022, with recommendations to the Commission for Responsible Private Financing of Litigation Procedures (2020/2130(INL)).

Procedural costs and third-party litigation funding of collective redress under the Slovenian collective actions act