Valladolid Case: Car Cartel Claims and Solidarity Liability in Spain

The Valladolid Commercial Court No. 2 approved a settlement related to a case filed by more than 13,000 claimants seeking compensation after paying excess prices on vehicles. The dispute centers on a cartel among a majority of Spanish market participants in the automotive sector, including brands such as Renault, Seat, Toyota, Citroën, BMW, Opel, Kia, and Audi. The cartel came to light following disclosures from the Volkswagen group, which faced penalties in 2015 that were not paid in full due to a settlement.