News
EJF Members’ Meeting in Brussels, 6 November 2025
EJF members met in Brussels on 6 November 2025 for the second Members’ Meeting of the year, kindly hosted by Jones Day.
Opening the meeting, Chair Simon Neill announced an upcoming leadership transition at EJF, with Ekkart Kaske stepping down in January 2026 after eight and a half years as Executive Director.
Members warmly thanked him for his commitment and achievements during a period of rapid change for the organisation, including the transposition of RAD and the COVID-19 pandemic.
The presentations began with an overview of EJF’s recent advocacy and policy engagement, focusing on Third-Party Litigation Funding (TPLF), product liability, and forthcoming digital regulation. Looking ahead, the 2026 Commission Work Programme and the upcoming Cypriot Council Presidency are expected to keep competitiveness and simplification high on the EU agenda, creating continued opportunities for EJF engagement.
On this policy basis, members discussed the need for greater coherence in Europe’s civil justice systems. Developing a horizontal framework for civil liability, built around common principles, could help reduce fragmentation and strengthen consistency across legislative initiatives.
The implementation of the Product Liability Directive (PLD) was another key focus. While transposition is advancing, progress remains uneven, with diverging national approaches to non-material damage and disclosure rules.
Members also exchanged views on insights from the recent ECIPE study, supported by EJF, titled “Mass Litigation and the Future of Litigation Funding in Ireland and Europe”. Using Ireland as a case study, the research shows how collective actions and TPLF are expanding across Europe, exposing innovative companies to increased costs and uncertainty. These findings reinforce the need for EU-wide rules on TPLF to ensure transparency, judicial oversight, and proportionality.
Broader updates touched on ongoing files such as the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CS3D), the upcoming Digital Fairness Act, and the reviews of Brussels I (Recast) and GDPR collective redress.
The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to advancing EJF’s work on competitiveness, legal coherence, and balanced reform of Europe’s civil justice systems. Members expressed appreciation for continued cross-sector collaboration and extended warm thanks to Ekkart for his leadership and lasting contribution to EJF’s mission.
