The French Government decree allows accredited consumer associations to launch class actions.

On 24 September 2014, the French Government enacted a decree implementing the class action mechanism created by the “Loi Hamon” n° 2014-344 (enacted on the 17th of March 2014) (please see our previous Client Alert Introduction of Class Actions in France: A Growing Threat to Professionals?). This implementing decree organizes certain aspects of the French class action and sets the date of entry into force as 1 October 2014.

Pursuant to this decree, certain accredited consumer associations will be able to bring class action claims before the court, on behalf of consumers, for French consumer and competition law infringements.