... [T]he power imbalance between individuals and large companies can effectively block victims of harm caused by business activities from seeking redress through judicial means, as the costs and risks are too high for the average individual. The solution to this problem lies in enabling effective means for collective redress at the EU level.

...Collective redress is widely recognised by both international and European human rights bodies, as well as European institutionsand civil society, as a key tool for the protection of fundamental rights in cases concerning violations by business entities.

...EU Commissioner Věra Jourová announced plans for collective redress exclusively for consumers. Whilst this would be a positive step, it would be a departure from the Commission’s pre-existing horizontal approach to rights protection.

...Violations of fundamental rights, including environmental, labour, anti-discrimination, privacy; as well as harm from breaches of business competition rules, can cause even more egregious harm than that suffered by consumers. The current disharmonised patchwork of collective redress across the EU also means some companies are more easily subjected to class-action litigation than others, depending on where they operate within the Single Market. This is creating an unfair playing field for business.

...[T]he undersigned organisations call on the EU and its Member States to...Prepare a legislative proposal for EU collective redress that applies to all instances of harm caused by corporate entities including that which in nature relates to the environment, privacy, discrimination, or which in any way violates fundamental rights.