On 15 April 2026, the Amsterdam District Court has ruled that the European Trucks cartel caused a price overcharge of 7%. In an interim judgment handed down in proceedings brought by Retail Cartel Damage Claims (CDC) and concerning roughly 60,000 trucks, the Court endorsed the methodology and econometric analysis of CDC’s experts, Maarten Pieter Schinkel […]
Accounting evidence as proof of purchase in cartel litigation: The Spanish Supreme Court clarifies the standard (STS 71/2026)
In the Truck Cartel case, the Spanish Supreme Court has refined the evidentiary framework governing antitrust damages actions. According to its judgment of 27 January 2026 (STS 71/2026), accounting documentation may constitute sufficient evidence to prove the purchase price and, consequently, the existence and quantification of harm, even in the absence of original invoices. This […]
Spanish Supreme Court confirms judgment awarding overcharge in excess of 10% in the trucks cartel: key takeaways from judgment STS 5861/2025
The Supreme Court Judgment STS 5861/2025 of 18 December 2025 represents a significant development in damages litigation arising from the trucks cartel in Spain as it confirms for the first time the judicial estimation of a second instance court awarding an overcharge of more than 10%. The Supreme Court has fully dismissed the appeals brought […]
Dairy Cartel – the next level of private antitrust enforcement: Commercial Court No. 14 of Madrid finds a 9.4% undercharge
On 16 October 2025, Commercial Court No. 14 of Madrid delivered a judgment[1] of notable relevance in the well-known Spanish Dairy Cartel case. The decision, issued by Judge Ms Carmen González Suárez in Ordinary Proceedings No. 588/2022, partially upheld a private damage claim brought against Grupo Lactalis Iberia, S.A. (Lactalis) and Industrias Lácteas de Granada, […]
The CJEU strengthens cartel victims’ rights: a landmark ruling on limitation periods
The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) on 4 September 2025 has issued a landmark ruling in Case C-21/24, CP v. Nissan Iberia, which strengthens the position of cartel victims, not only in Spain but across the European Union. This preliminary ruling decision, following a referral by the Commercial Court No. 1 of […]
The Spanish Supreme Court Consolidates Key Aspects on Cartel Damages: A Landmark Judgment in the Envelopes Case
On June 5, 2025, the Spanish Supreme Court issued a ruling that marks a milestone in private competition law enforcement in Spain. The judgment — STS 2621/2025 — resolves the appeal brought by the Partido Socialista Obrero Español (PSOE) against several companies in the paper envelope sector — namely Printeos, Tompla, and Maespa — which had been fined in 2013 by the Comisión Nacional de los Mercados y la Competencia (CNMC) for participating in a cartel (case S/0316/10).
Advocate General Medina’s opinion on when the limitation clock starts ticking
Can a damages claim for cartel conduct be time-barred if it was filed before the conclusion of the national infringement decision’s judicial review? Advocate General Medina’s Opinion in C 21/24 CP v Nissan Iberia offers a clear answer: limitation periods cannot begin until the existence of the infringement can be relied upon in court. A position that could reshape the landscape of follow-on litigation across the EU.