DÜSSELDORF (dpa-AFX) – In the dispute over compensation for a rail cartel, the former cartel members have a difficult time. The competent chamber of the Düsseldorf Higher Regional Court made it clear on Tuesday in a hearing that they were the defendants’ arguments, according to which there was no financial damage have, consider problematic.
The Cologne transport company and the Essen Ruhrbahn want compensation from the track technology suppliers thyssenkrupp and Balfour Beatty because the cartel members have agreed on prices. As a result, they would have paid a quarter more than they would have done without the cartel, the plaintiffs estimate. Overall, they estimate the damage caused to them at more than 2.1 million euros.
According to the findings of the Federal Cartel Office, the rail cartel existed from 2001 to 2011. A large number of companies that were active as suppliers in the rail sector were part of the illegal agreements. In the spring of 2011, the machinations were uncovered and the Cartel Office imposed fines totaling 97 million euros. As usual, the money went into the state coffers. After that, numerous injured parties went to court to collect damages.
The protracted legal dispute has already gone through the instances, and in 2020 the Federal Court of Justice referred the matter back to Düsseldorf. Lawsuits against other companies are still pending at the Higher Regional Court, for which the current proceedings could have a certain signal effect./wdw/DP/men
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