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.