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The impact of new EU product-liability rules

A seminar to be held in Dublin next month will discuss the likely effects of a new EU directive on product liability.

The directive, which will have a two-year implementation period, includes presumptions reversing the conventional burden of proof on plaintiffs to prove defect or causation in cases where those with a plausible case face exceptional difficulties of proof due to technical or scientific complexity.

This is intended to cover cases in areas such as medical devices, pharmaceuticals or vaccines.

The conference on the directive will take place on Thursday 26 September (5.15pm) in the Distillery Building, Church Street, Dublin 7.

Multi-party actions

It will also discuss issues of litigation funding and what type of procedure for multi-party actions might suit Ireland, in light of experiences in England and the Netherlands.

In 2020, the report of the Review of the Administration of Civil Justice chaired by Mr Justice Peter Kelly concluded that there was an objective need to legislate for a comprehensive multi-party-action procedure in this country.

The event is being organised by the Product Liability Forum of the British Institute of International and Comparative Law (BIICL), which was founded in 1958 by Lord Denning and others.

Panellists

The institute is an independent research body based in London, whose president is Lord Neuberger, the former president of the UK Supreme Court.

Mr Justice Maurice Collins (pictured) of the Supreme Court and Prof Geraint Howells of University of Galway will chair the sessions.

The panellists are:

• Michael Cush SC,
• Eileen Barrington SC,
• Roddy Bourke (solicitor, McCann FitzGerald),
• Sarah Moore (Leigh Day, London),
• David Kidman (Simmon & Simmons, London), and
• Ianika Tzankova (Tilburg University, Netherlands).

There is no admission charge, and a reception will follow the meeting. To register, email eventsregistration@BIICL.ORG.