Maria José Azar-Baud, the President of Ius Omnibus, took center stage as the keynote speaker at the 2024 Global Class Actions Symposium held in Lisbon. As a leading figure in consumer rights and class action litigation, the Ius Omnibus President address focused on the evolving landscape of collective redress mechanisms across Europe. She emphasized the importance of robust legal frameworks to protect consumers against corporate misconduct and highlighted the recent advances made in harmonizing class action procedures within the European Union. Her insights offered a comprehensive overview of the challenges and opportunities in implementing effective collective redress, shedding light on the critical role of organizations like Ius Omnibus in driving these reforms throughout different jurisdictions.
In her speech, the President of Ius Omnibus also touched on the need for greater access to justice and the empowerment of consumers through collective actions. She pointed out that recent legal developments, including the EU’s Representative Actions Directive, mark a significant step forward but still require diligent enforcement and awareness to reach their full potential. Addressing an audience of legal experts, policymakers, and industry leaders, she called for continued collaboration between stakeholders to ensure that class action mechanisms serve their purpose of levelling the playing field for consumers.