On 25 November 2024, Hungarian transport giant Waberer's International announced the signing of a new out-of-court settlement with an unnamed industrial vehicle manufacturer, as part of the ongoing dispute involving the truck cartel that implicated several major industry players. This second agreement follows a first settlement reached in April 2023 and results in a reduction of the total compensation amount sought by the Hungarian company.
Under this new agreement, the involved truck manufacturer is now exempted from ongoing legal proceedings, reducing Waberer's claim by €2.8 million, bringing the total amount to €23.8 million, excluding interest. The financial details of the settlement remain confidential, as specified by the company. Despite this latest agreement, Waberer's has made it clear that legal action against the other manufacturers involved in the cartel will continue.
The dispute dates back to the European Commission's decision of 19 July 2016 (AT.39824 – Trucks), which found that there had been a restriction of competition among leading truck manufacturers – Daimler, Daf, Iveco, Man, Volvo/Renault, and Scania – between 1997 and 2011. Following this decision, Waberer's initiated legal actions seeking compensation for the damages suffered in relation to the leasing and purchase of affected vehicles. The lawsuits were filed at the Munich District Court I in July 2017 and February 2019.
The truck cartel controversy is one of the most significant cases in the European transport sector, with numerous logistics companies opting to pursue legal action to claim compensation for the inflated vehicle prices during the cartel's active years. This second settlement marks another step forward for Waberer's in resolving its claims, while the legal battle against the remaining manufacturers continues.
