International Collective Redress Conference

It was a privilege to participate in the International Collective Redress Conference organised by the UK Bar Council, and a true pleasure to contribute to such a timely and intellectually rich discussion on the evolving landscape of collective litigation.

My sincere thanks to Annelie Howard KC for the kind invitation and for bringing together such a distinguished panel of judges of the Supreme Court, the CAT and the General Court of the EU, an Advocate General at the ECJ, practitioners and experts.

I was delighted to present a comparative mapping of the implementation of the EU Representative Actions Directive (Directive 2020/1828) across Member States, exploring where Europe currently stands following transposition by 26 out of 27 Member States.

I was also particularly pleased to highlight one of the most significant recent French innovations: the introduction of the "sanction civile pour faute lucrative"—a noteworthy new litigation risk for businesses.

It was equally valuable to share practical insights drawn from direct experience acting as a representative in collective redress settings in the Netherlands, and previously in Portugal, jurisdictions that continue to offer important lessons in procedural design and enforcement strategy.

A genuine pleasure to exchange views alongside such an outstanding panel: Advocate General Andrea Biondi, Nicholas Khan KC, Christelle Coslin, and Thomas G. Funke.

The winds of change are clearly blowing across Europe—but whether the Representative Actions Directive will deliver genuine access to justice and effective mass redress, or merely a formally harmonised yet fragmented framework, remains one of the defining procedural questions of our time.

The Hon. Mrs Justice Kelyn Bacon, Lady Vivien Rose, Pedro Caro de Sousa, Rhodri Thompson Sarah Ford KC Dr. Rachael Kent Suzanne Kingston Thomas de la Mare Philip Moser KC Thomas Reyntjens Hodge Malec KC, Michael Davis Derek Holt @The Rt. Hon. Lord Justice Green, Dr Kai Thomas Brauneisen, Judge Han Jongeneel, Beatriz Ballesteros Palazon Mr Justice Waksman, Amandine Gueret Sarah Houghton Sonia Nolten KC Matthias M. Schweiger Geraint Webb K.C. Anthony Maton Jeremy Marshall

Pr. Rachael Mulheron, Benjamin Williams KC Sir Peter Roth Clare Ducksbury and Dr Liza Lovdahl Gormsen

Conference schedule page outlining a panel on EU and UK collective redress and group litigation laws

Poster for the International collective redress conference by The Bar Council, held on 8 May 2026 at