France's National Assembly on Tuesday canceled plans for an upcoming parliamentary debate on whether to introduce class action lawsuits into the French legal system, putting the reform into question.
The bill was to have been debated starting Feb. 6, but leading lawmakers slashed it from the schedule, citing a time crunch. . . . The schedule change means that it will likely be up to France's next government to decide whether to revive the bill, which was presented by Finance Minister Thierry Breton in November.
French consumer associations have pushed for the change, which would allow consumers who feel they have been wronged or cheated to take companies to court collectively, rather than being forced to bring individual lawsuits.
Business representatives have opposed the measure, citing concerns over its potential impact on the economy.