HBSS attorney, Robert Gaudet is spending the next year in Sweden studying the promotion and integration of class action lawsuits in Europe. Inspired by the U.S., Sweden has allowed class actions over the past few years and moves are being made to begin class action filings in both Norway and Denmark.

The new procedural rules will allow Europeans to aggregate claims against a single defendant. Multinational corporations often make the same misrepresentations to European consumers as they do Americans. This will ultimately allow plaintiff's lawyers the ability to bring similar complaints on both continents.

Until recently collective actions have been permitted by most E.U. Member States only when filed by an organization or association. What makes these news rules so revolutionary for the European courts is now individuals can file a complaint on behalf of themselves and others.

So far the three major players in Europe are Sweden, Norway and Denmark. Norway will allow class action filings beginning in January of 2008.