A few weeks ago, the Regional Court of Hanover dismissed a cartel damage lawsuit by a claims vehicle for lack of legal standing[1]. The judgment deserves scrutiny, as it confirms a trend among German courts to dismiss bundled claims on this basis[2]. 1. The incentive for bundling claims German law knows no class actions, and no specific means of collective redress that would provide cartel victims with payment titles. Therefore, cartel victims sometimes bundle their…
1. Summary of the proposed bill Brazil’s House of Representatives currently discusses Bill No. 11,275/2018, introducing new rules for private cartel damage claims. The proposal aims to update the Brazilian Antitrust Law by encouraging follow-on cartel damage claims in a way that does not jeopardize incentives for settlements and leniency applications with the Brazilian antitrust authority (CADE). The main changes proposed are the following: Double damages liability for cartel participants, except for companies that apply…
On 4 March 2020, the UK Competition Appeal Tribunal (the “Tribunal”) handed down a significant judgment in the UK’s follow-on Trucks cartel litigation, in which it determined those parts of the European Commission (“Commission”) settlement decision that are binding in establishing liability.[1] The Tribunal also considered whether it can be an ‘abuse of process'[2] for defendants to contest facts previously admitted in their settlement with the Commission. Which parts of the Commission decision are binding?…
1. Summary of English case law The most recent English case to consider the application of choice-of-forum clauses in commercial contracts to cartel damage claims was Microsoft Mobile OY (Ltd) v Sony Europe Limited [2017] EWHC 374 (Ch). This case centred on a cartel damages claim brought by Microsoft against Sony with regard to contracts for the sale of lithium-ion batteries. The supply contract contained an arbitration clause and, importantly for this decision, the agreement also…
The Netherlands is a popular jurisdiction for competition litigation, and recent developments may also attract collective claimants to bring their claim in the Netherlands on behalf of a group of ‘victims’ of an infringement of competition law. Since 1 January 2020, the ‘Act on a Collective Action for Damages’ is in force. The EU Regulation on Jurisdiction and the Recognition and Enforcement of Judgments in Civil and Commercial Matters (No. 1215/2012) applies in The Netherlands.…
On 29 July 2019, the Court of Justice of the European Union (“CJEU”) confirmed in Tibor-Trans/DAF Trucks (C-451/18) [1] that indirect customers can claim damages for damage suffered from cartel-related excessive pricing. However, claimants can sue infringers only in EU Member States within the geographic market affected by the anti-competitive conduct. For establishing jurisdiction, it is no longer relevant where the claimant suffered the damage. Is this the end of the “home-field advantage” for damaged…