Strengthening consumer collective redress: possibilities of collaboration with administrative agencies and ADR

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K01400
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 05060:Civil law-related
• Research Institution: Keio University
• Principal Investigator: Kudo Toshitaka 慶應義塾大学, 法務研究科(三田), 准教授 (50595478)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 集団的消費者被害回復手続 / 集団訴訟・クラスアクション / 裁判外紛争解決手続（ADR） / メキシコ法 / スペイン法

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Suppose administrative agencies can file a consumer class action along with private consumer organizations. In this situation, we should consider the style of cooperation between the agencies and the organizations (in the specific lawsuit or only outside the suits) based on the public tolerance of the administrative agency's intervention in civil disputes and the consumer organizations' ability and energy.
Since an arbitration proceeding is conducted based on an arbitration agreement, if a "collective arbitration procedure" establishes special rules on standing and arbitration award, there will be a conflict with the right to have a fair trial in court. Although It is not easy to theoretically overcome this limitation, one possible institutional design might be the collective arbitration as extended consolidation of individual arbitration proceedings.

Free Research Field

民事手続法

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

集団的消費者被害回復手続について、ラテンアメリカ諸国では民間消費者団体と行政機関の原告適格を併存的に認める法制が多い。その制度や実情の分析は、消費者保護の実現における公私の協働ないし役割分担の在り方について、わが国に対し有益な示唆を与える。
また、集団的消費者被害の回復方法は、個別被害者への賠償以外にも、利益吐出しや消費者基金の設立など、柔軟かつ多様な方法が考えられる。それらの実現には、実体的な損害賠償理論だけでなく被害回復手続の観点からも見直しが必要であり、集団的ＡＤＲは一つの有効な手段となり得る。