消費者團體損害賠償訴訟之研究

Abstract

現代型消費者紛爭事件之特徵在於其所生之損害具有繼續性、顯微性與擴散性，例如商品責任事件，欠缺合理期待安全性之商品可能在市場上流通數年，或損害的潛伏期綿延數年之久，許多消費者並不知悉自己已長期接觸具有潛在生命、身體、健康危險性之商品，此使得潛在的原告人數不確定，並可能隨著時間的推進而逐漸增加。面對上述商品責任損害賠償事件，我國消費者保護法第50條、第54條以及民事訴訟法第44條之1、第44條之2等制度得為救濟。惟自消費者保護法施行20年餘來，似未充分發揮其立法時所期待之功能。 有鑒於此，本文以日本之最新立法，即「消費者の財産的被害の集団的な回復のための民事の裁判手続の特例に関する法律」即「消費者財產上損害集團性回復之民事裁判程序特別法」 (以下稱為「消費者集團損害程序特別法」)作為比較法之研究對象，並檢討其中當事人適格、二階段審理制度、共通義務訴訟、簡易確定程序以及和解等制度內涵。日本消費者集團損害程序特別法特色為分階審理制度，並且不允許消費者個人為原告提起訴訟。第一階段，係由特定適格消費者團體就與消費契約相關聯之消費紛爭，提起共通義務確認訴訟，其中消費者集團損害程序特別法對於何謂共通義務，設有規定。法院確認第一階段之共通義務為有理由後，進入第二階段簡易確定程序。個別消費者得於確認被告企業負有共通義務的前提下，於簡易確定程序加入程序並請求債權額，得以節省個別消費者於程序上之勞費。但其得請求之損害額則排除所失利益、加害給付、人身損害、慰撫金等項目。 最後，本文整理我國實務上消費訴訟案例，藉由案例觀察我國消費訴訟，而與上述日本制度要件及相關之學說爭議進行比較分析，再由實務案件之實踐概況與困境，探討可能之修正方向及解決辦法。

The purpose of this thesis is to research how to improve the dispute resolution of modern disputes. Such as public product defect and other incidents may hurt the interests of the public, which are often lasting, obscure and expansive in nature. In theory, the consumer protection law article 50, 54 and the code of civil procedure article 44-1, 44-2 are remedial procedure of collective damages of consumers in Taiwan. But during the twenty-year, the consumer collective redress system in Taiwan has yet to achieve its proper purpose. For the aforesaid purpose and from a proceeding law perspective, this thesis begins by surveying the Act on Special Measures Concerning Civil Court Proceedings for the Collective Redress for Property Damage Incurred by Consumers in Japan governing the topics of party’s standing, two stage proceedings, action for declaratory judgment on common obligations, simple determination Proceedings and settlement. The Japanese law is a two-stage procedure and does not allow for individuals to commence class actions themselves. At the first stage, a Specific Qualified Consumer Organization commences litigation against a company seeking a declaration as to the liability of the company under the consumer contract (defined as 'Common Obligations') as representatives of other potential consumer claimants. At the second stage, if the court finds that the company is liable, other consumers may then join the litigation as creditors in their own right without there being any uncertainty as to whether the company in question is liable, enabling them to claim damages for their individual economic loss cheaply and easily. Finally, this thesis discusses the current practice of cases which relate to these article, analyze that cases and find out how to improve these issues, make more consumer protection group willing to institute an action to protect consumer. It is hoped that the suggestions can be the useful reference for reconstruction of consumer collective redress in Taiwan.