Effective Enforcement of Consumer Law in Europe: Synchronizing Private, Public, and Collective Mechanisms

In this paper, we argue that there is a need for collective enforcement of consumer law in Europe. We evaluate a number of legal instruments that already have been developed to this end in European law and domestic legal systems. Furthermore, we make suggestions for further policy initiatives and for finding the right balance between private and public enforcement efforts. The analysis offered is partly based on the findings of the contributors to a book that we edited in 2007.