TFL Vsebine / Pravni letopis

Varstvo kolektivnih interesov potrošnikov se ne izčrpa s prepovedjo določenega ravnanja trgovca z učinkom za prihodnost in brez neposrednega vpliva na položaj potrošnikov, ki so že bili žrtev nedopustnega ravnanja. Ureditev opustitvenih tožb, kakršne trenutno zahteva tudi direktiva EU, ni dovolj. Tudi delna razširitev učinkov sodbe, kakršno že vsebuje Zakon o varstvu potrošnikov, ne zadošča. Razvoj v številnih državah, tudi v članicah EU, gre v smeri možnosti skupinskega uveljavljanja zahtevkov. Ne gre le za zagotovitev učinkovite uveljavitve potrošniških pravic, gre tudi za spoznanje, da klasičen sistem civilnega sodnega varstva v primeru množičnih zahtevkov (in s tem grozečo možnostjo zasutja sodišč z ločenimi tožbami) lahko odpove. Po drugi strani pa ni mogoče zanemariti negativnih izkušenj nekaterih pravnih redov z institutom razredne tožbe, možnostjo zlorab in iskanjem finančnih interesov »industrije pravd« ter z dodatnim finančnim bremenom za gospodarstvo, kadar se mora to braniti pred velikimi, vendar neutemeljenimi zahtevki.

The protection of collective interests of consumers should not be limited to injunctions only, as they only have effect for the future and do not immediately benefit a consumer, who has already been a victim of illegal trader’s acts and commercial practices. The obligation, currently imposed by the EU Injunctions Directive, that member states should introduce injunction actions in their national legal order, is not sufficient. Even a partial broadening of effects of a positive judgment, following an organization action, as provided for in the Slovenian Consumer Protection Act, is not satisfactory. The development in numerous countries, also those within EU, shows a trend towards a wider possibility of a collective recovery of mass monetary claims. This is not only a matter of an effective implementation of consumer rights. A traditional civil justice system cannot cope with possible mass claims, which could, if pursued individually cause huge backlogs in courts. On the other hand, negative experience with certain aspects of class actions, especially those related to the danger of abuse, to promoting litigation industry and to additional financial burdens for traders, when they have to defend huge but unmeritorious claims.

Group Actions in the Field of Consumer Law