FINANCING OF ANTITRUST DAMAGES LAWSUITS

On 19 July 2016, the EU Commission imposed a fine running into the billions against multiple manufacturers of heavy goods vehicles. The Commission confirmed the fact that the lorry manufacturers MAN, Volvo/Renault, Daimler, Iveco and DAF met unlawful agreements on pricing in the lorry market for more than a decade. All buyers of lorries from these brands were damaged in the years 1997 - 2012.

For years, traders have paid a fixed fee of 0.3 percent of sales to EC Card organisations of banks in EC Card transactions. Only since 2014 can the fees be freely agreed with the banks through the intervention of the Federal Cartel Office. As a result, the fees fell by up to 40 percent.

In 2017, the European Commission imposed a total fine of 68 million Euro against the companies Campine, Eco-Bat Technologies and Recylex. The cartel was charged with the purchase prices for used lead batteries. The damaged scrap dealers can now claim damages.

The European Court of Justice confirms the illegal price agreement of 17 manufacturers of fittings and sanitary-ceramic articles between the years 1992 and 2004. Overall, the EU Commission imposed fines to the amount of 622 million Euro. Several construction companies, tradesmen and plumbing retailers have paid excessive prices for these items and thus have, if necessary, made claims for damages.