The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) has issued a ruling affecting the ability of Spanish consumers to receive compensation after collusion among car manufacturers. The case was brought before the court by the Zaragoza court, which suspended proceedings between the Facua association and Opel España. A similar situation previously arose in the case against Nissan, which also prompted an appeal to the CJEU.
The EU court clarified that the statute of limitations for filing claims begins when the Tribunal Supremo issues a final ruling on a particular manufacturer. In the case of Nissan, this period began on 7 June 2021, when the company’s involvement in the cartel was confirmed. As a result, those affected have five years to seek compensation, with the deadline for claims in this case expiring in June 2026.
This ruling applies to all brands involved in the cartel. For each manufacturer, the time limit is calculated individually—from the date when the Tribunal Supremo recognized their participation in the violation. Facua is handling lawsuits in ten cases, representing car buyers for fifteen brands, including Alfa Romeo, BMW, Citroën, Fiat, Ford, Honda, Hyundai, Jeep, Lexus, Nissan, Opel, Peugeot, Renault, and Toyota.
Facua filed lawsuits against the automotive groups between October 2022 and April 2023. Among the defendants are companies such as BMW Ibérica, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles Spain, Ford España, Honda España, Hyundai Motor España, Nissan Iberia, PSAG Automóviles Comercial España, Opel España, Renault España, and Toyota España. The cases are being heard in the courts of Barcelona, Zaragoza, and Madrid, where the offices of the respective companies are located.
Previously, in 2015, the Spanish National Commission for Markets and Competition (CNMC) imposed a fine of 171 million euros on 21 manufacturers and distributors for participating in a cartel that led to inflated car prices. The CNMC’s decision was challenged by several companies, including Nissan, but the Supreme Court upheld it in 2021.
According to the position of the CJEU, the statute of limitations begins only after the decision in the case becomes final and the victims have received all the necessary information to file a claim. This opens up additional opportunities to protect the rights of buyers who purchased vehicles from companies found to be part of the cartel.
