The 37th Civil Chamber of the Munich I District Court has scheduled a joint evidentiary session for 24–28 November 2025 covering 36 cases linked to the truck cartel. Due to the large number of participants — more than 100 lawyers and party representatives — the hearings were moved to the Wappenhalle in Munich-Riem.
Dispute over economic analyses
The court has appointed two economists to assess whether the cartel led to price increases and, if so, by how much. The experts based their findings on regression analyses, but their conclusions have been strongly challenged by manufacturers and some legal representatives.
The hearings are intended to clarify key doubts about the methodology and quality of the evidence.
Manufacturers vs the claimants
The manufacturers maintain that the cartel did not result in actual losses for customers.
The claimants — including Deutsche Bahn, the Bundeswehr and various transport operators — argue that the illegal agreements had a direct impact on prices, as confirmed by the European Commission’s decisions.
The Commission imposed fines on the truck manufacturers in 2016–2017 for coordinating vehicle list prices and emission-technology surcharge schedules between 1997 and 2011.
As a result, thousands of transport companies are now seeking compensation, claiming they overpaid for their vehicles. The total value of claims in Germany stands at roughly €500 million.
New impetus from France: first compensation award for carriers
In October 2025, a court in France issued the first ruling awarding compensation to victims of the truck cartel.
The Commercial Court in Bordeaux ordered Daimler to pay more than €7,700 for each qualifying vehicle, reported the Lex-Port law office.
This is the first judgment in a private case against any manufacturer in France within this dispute. The firm described it as a “double victory”:
- damages were secured from Daimler, and
- ongoing cases were transferred from the court in Lyon, which had previously issued rulings unfavourable to carriers.
The decision is significant for hundreds of companies that purchased trucks between 1997 and 2011.
Lex-Port notes that French courts accept overcharges of around 9%, and the firm is preparing further claims — this time against Scania.
How have other European courts ruled? A diverse landscape
France has only now seen its first favourable ruling, but developments in other countries have varied widely.
Spain has so far been the most favourable jurisdiction for carriers. Spanish courts have repeatedly awarded compensation amounting to 9–20% of a vehicle’s value.
Examples include:
- Cáceres (2020) – overcharge recognised at 16.35%
- Pontevedra – Iveco ordered to pay almost €40,000 (approx. 9% + interest) for three trucks
- Murcia – Volvo Group Spain ordered to pay €128,757 for five vehicles (20.7%)
Spanish judges have rejected arguments from manufacturers that any overcharge was passed on to end customers.
In Germany, despite the vast number of lawsuits, there are still no publicly confirmed cases of compensation being awarded to carriers. Judges require detailed evidence for each individual vehicle, which has led to many cases being dismissed or significantly delayed.
The Munich hearings will continue until 28 November. The coming weeks will show whether the parties move towards settlement or whether the court deems the expert opinions credible. Only then will it become clear whether proceedings will accelerate or, conversely, drag on even longer.
