1295/5/7/18 (T) Dawsongroup plc and Others v DAF Trucks N.V. and Others

Claim for damages for breach of Article 101 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (and/or its earlier equivalents) and/or Chapter I of the Competition Act 1998 by (1) Dawsongroup Plc; (2) Dawsongroup UK Limited; (3) Dawsongroup Truck and Trailer Limited; (4) Dawsongroup Material Handling Limited; and (5) Dawsongroup Sweepers Limited (together, the “Claimants”) against (1) DAF Trucks N.V.; (2) DAF Trucks Deutschland GmbH; (3) PACCAR Inc; (4) DAF Trucks Limited; (5) Daimler AG; (6) Mercedes Benz Cars UK Limited; (7) Aktiebolaget Volvo (Publ); (8) Volvo Lastvagnar AB; (9) Volvo Group Trucks Central Europe GmbH; (10) Renault Trucks SAS; and (11) Volvo Group UK Limited. The Claimants rely on a decision of the European Commission of 19 July 2016 (Case AT.39824 – Trucks) which was addressed to (among others) eight of the eleven Defendants. 

The issues in the proceedings were transferred from the High Court to the Tribunal by consent by order of Mr Justice Roth dated 31 July 2018. 

A case management conference (CMC) was held on 21-22 November 2018.  The CMC was heard jointly with CMCs in Cases 1284T-1290T, 1291T and 1292T-1294T. On 11 December 2018 the Tribunal issued a judgment giving reasons for its decisions on two issues heard at the CMC in relation to confidentiality rings and disclosure of translations ([2018] CAT 19).

A further CMC took place on 2-3 May 2019 and was heard jointly with CMCs in Cases 1284T-1290T, 1291T and 1292T-1294T.

A hearing of disclosure applications took place on 19-20 September 2019 at which disclosure applications in Cases 1291T (Ryder) and 1294T (Wolseley) were also heard.

A preliminary issue hearing took place on 3, 5 and 6 December 2019. Judgment has been reserved.