DECO and Popular Actions in Portugal: Landmark Consumer Litigation Cases

This document provides an overview of major popular actions initiated by DECO (Portuguese Consumer Protection Association) before Portuguese courts.

The cases span several decades and cover a wide range of issues, including contract nullity, abusive commercial practices, competition law violations, data protection, shareholder litigation, and the Volkswagen “dieselgate” scandal. The document highlights landmark proceedings such as DECO v. Portugal Telecom (1996 and 2003), DECO v. Banco Espírito Santo (BES), DECO v. Facebook, and DECO v. Volkswagen.

These cases illustrate the evolution of the Portuguese popular action (ação popular) as a mechanism for collective redress and demonstrate both its potential and its procedural limitations, particularly regarding standing, legitimacy, and international jurisdiction.

Popular actions.pdf

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