2022/0302 Sayılı Avrupa Birliği Yeni Ürün Sorumluluk Direktif Teklifinin Getirdikleri Üzerine Bir Değerlendirme
Ayşe Arat, Elif AkıncıAvrupa Birliği Hukukunda yaklaşık kırk yıldır uygulanmakta olan ve hatalı ürünler sebebiyle doğan zararlara karşı kusursuz sorumluluk rejimi içeren 85/374 sayılı Ürün Sorumluluk Direktifi’nin yürürlüğe girdiği tarihten bugüne imalat, satış ve ürün çeşitliliği alanlarında önemli ilerlemeler kaydedilmiştir. Direktifin amacı, hatalı ürünler sebebiyle meydana gelebilecek bedensel veya malvarlığına yönelik zararları tazmin etmeye yönelik bir sistem kurabilmektir. Bu çerçevede Direktif, 1985 yılında kabul edilmesinden bu yana etkili bir araç olarak uygulanmıştır. Ancak mevcut haliyle bugünün teknolojisinin getirdiği bazı gelişmeleri yakalamaktan uzaktır. Direktif, özellikle yapay zekâ, otonom cihazlarda yaşanan teknolojik gelişmeler ve yaygınlaşan döngüsel ekonomi ile bağlantılı ürünler göz önüne alındığında bu yeni risklerden zarar görenleri etkili bir biçimde koruyabilmek adına değişime muhtaçtır. Bu sebeple 28 Eylül 2022 tarihinde, tespit edilen ve eleştirilen eksikleri gidermek amacıyla yeni bir Ürün Sorumluluğu Direktifi Teklifi yayınlanmıştır. Ürün Sorumluluğu Direktifi Teklifinde, direktifte yer alan mevcut sorumluluğun, modern dijital ekonomi ve döngüsel ekonominin ortaya çıkardığı ürünlere nasıl uygulanacağı, zararın ispatının kolaylaştırılması ve tazminat taleplerinin önündeki engellerin kaldırılmasına ilişkin sorunlar giderilmeye çalışılmıştır. Teklif, AB Komisyonu’nun Avrupa’yı dijital çağa uygun hale getirme politikası çerçevesinde, dijital teknolojilerle bağlantılı riskleri azaltmayı ve ürünlerin güvenliğini artırmayı hedeflemektedir. Bu bakış açısıyla, üründen kaynaklı bir zarar ortaya çıktığında zarar görenlerin tazminat taleplerinin karşılık bulacağı ve aynı zamanda üreticilerin sorumluluk risklerini öngörülebilecekleri bir düzenleme yapılmaya çalışılmıştır. Çalışmada tüm bu değişiklik hazırlıkları detaylı olarak incelenmiş, konu Türk Hukuku ve özellikle 7223 sayılı Ürün Güvenliği ve Teknik Düzenlemeler Kanunu ile karşılaştırmalı olarak ele alınmış, söz konusu değişikliklerin hukukumuza nasıl yansıyabileceği ile ilgili değerlendirmeler yapılmıştır.
Evaluation of The Implications of The European Union’s New Product Liability Directive Proposal No. 2022/0302
Ayşe Arat, Elif AkıncıThe Product Liability Directive (PLD) 85/374 has been a significant aspect of European Union law for almost four decades, introducing strict liability for damages arising from defective products. Although the PLD has operated effectively since its inception in 1985, it has not kept pace with modern technological advances. Particularly in the context of products involving artificial intelligence, autonomous devices, and the circular economy the shortcomings of the PLD have become obvious and require revision. A new Proposal for a PLD was published on 28 September 2022 to address these issues. The main objectives of the PLD are to ensure adequate compensation for individuals damaged by products derived from modern digital and circular economies, streamline damage assessment procedures, and to facilitate access to compensation claims. The proposed amendments aim to create a predictable framework for compensating parties who are injured by defective products and determining the liability of producers, thus striking a balance between consumer protection and the interests of producers. For these reasons, the proposed amendments to PLD represent a critical step towards addressing the challenges posed by technological developments, such as product safety, and ensuring comprehensive protection for both consumers and producers. Implementing these amendments will establish a robust legal framework that addresses the evolving digital landscape and protects consumer interests while encouraging innovation. Accordingly, in this study, all these amendment preparations are examined in detail and discussed in comparison with Turkish Law and in particular with the Product Safety and Technical Regulations Law No. 7223. Furthermore, it evaluates how these amendments could potentially impact Turkish law.
Turkish Law has recently witnessed new developments in product liability law. With Code No. 7223 on Product Safety and Technical Regulations (ÜGTDK), which was published in the Official Gazette on March 12, 2020, and entered into force one year later, the regulatory gap regarding the liability of the manufacturer, which existed in Turkish Law for approximately six years, was eliminated. With the Code, European Union Council Directive 85/374/COD was tried to be integrated into national law. However, approximately one year after the Code entered into force, new developments regarding product liability law in the European Union came into the spotlight.
There is no doubt that the current Product Liability Directive 85/374 in the European Union is a valuable tool for compensating individuals who have suffered personal injury or material damage due to defective products. However, with rapid advances in technology, particularly in artificial intelligence, autonomous devices, and the circular economy, the current directive may not be sufficient to address emerging challenges and adequately protect the interests of injured parties. The Proposal for a new Product Liability Directive was published on September 28, 2022, to overcome these issues. This proposal aims to modernise the existing directive and adapt it to the realities of the modern digital economy, technological innovations, and developments.
The proposal addresses some key issues:
First, it provides liability for products from the modern digital economy: Determining liability has become more complex with the increasing use of artificial intelligence and other technologies in the field of products. The proposal introduces provisions to clarify the liability of manufacturers when these technologies are involved in product defects.
Second, it introduces liability for products that come from the circular economy: The circular economy promotes the recycling and reuse of products, which can also lead to complexity in determining liability for damages caused by defective products. The proposal could establish explicit guidelines for determining liability in such cases.
In addition, it facilitates proof of damage: The proposal aims to simplify the process for injured parties to provide evidence of bodily or property damage caused by defective products. This could involve new approaches to gathering and presenting evidence, particularly as advancing technology can sometimes make it impossible for injured parties to provide evidence of product defects. The proposal seeks to support the injured party in such impossible situations and to enable them to compensate for their losses. However, these proof methods are also new to EU law but may not be entirely new.
It also balances the interests of injured parties and manufacturers: A fair balance must be struck between the rights of injured parties and the responsibilities of manufacturers. The proposal arguably seeks to achieve this balance while promoting product safety and innovation.
Finally, it protects damage to data: Damage to intangible goods is, as a principle, not recoverable under the product liability directive. However, the Directive introduces a major innovation in that it recognises that data damage is compensable under the product liability law. Therefore, the proposal demonstrates the EU’s commitment to updating and improving its product liability regulations to keep pace with technological developments and economic changes and to provide better protection for consumers and injured parties.
This comprehensive research study delves into the proposed amendments introduced by the EU Product Liability Directive Proposal. It meticulously analyzes the potential impacts of these amendments on the Turkish legal framework, especially when compared to the Turkish Product Safety and Technical Regulations Law No. 7223. The aim is to explore a deeper understanding of how the proposed amendments could be integrated into Turkish law to strengthen product liability and protect consumers’ rights more effectively.
