A new supranational network of law firms unites their expertise in private antitrust enforcement. The member law firms of the European Cartel Damage Alliance e.V. (ECDA) provide cartel-damaged companies and public organizations with legal support across Europe in relation to the enforcement of their claims. In this context, clients may draw on the assistance of experts from nearly twenty European countries. The law firm Dimitrijević & Partners is one of the members and co-founder of the alliance.

Whether high-voltage power cables, trucks or interest rate derivatives – cartels are not limited to certain areas of the economy. Where there is competition, there is often the risk of collusion, and customers or competitors may suffer severe damage.

The ECDA brings together renowned law firms from all over Europe specialising in antitrust law. Its objective is to assist victims of cartels, providing them with information on their opportunities and risks and to support them in enforcing their claims – both in and out of court. “By working together, we take advantage of the synergies as well as different places of jurisdiction and are thus able to handle cases with a pan-European dimension in a flexible manner providing advice at a cross-border level”, emphasises Stevan Dimitrijević, partner of the law firm Dimitrijević & Partners. “Only rarely are cartels purely national constructs, they usually have a European dimension”, emphasises Prof. Christian Held, first chairperson of the ECDA and partner of the law firm Becker Büttner Held (BBH).

It often takes a long time before parties affected by cartels realise that they are victims of price-fixing agreements. The ECDA members keep an eye open for potential cartel structures and can thus draw attention to them at an early stage. This means that potentially affected companies can be informed early on about their entitlement to claim damages, make arrangements to secure their claims in a timely fashion and thoroughly prepare for their assertion and investigate the facts in advance.

If a case has to be brought before a court, the ECDA members provide not only legal advice but also offer further assistance. Through the cooperation with the litigation funder FORIS AG, victims of a cartel may minimise their cost risks.

Dimitrijević & Partners is one of the most recognized law offices in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Renowned for the quality of our lawyers and our commercial approach to solving problems, we advise banks, companies, investors and government institutions doing business in Bosnia and Herzegovina. We are practical and business-minded, understanding that the commercial implications of our advice are often as important as the technical aspects. We have a deep understanding of local law combined with proactive and long term approach to client relationships.

European Cartel Damage Alliance e.V. (ECDA) – European lawyers network in the field of antitrust law and cartel damages claims.

Contact:

Dimitrijević i partneri

Stevan Dimitrijević

stevan.dimitrijevic@dimitrijevicpartners.com

Tel +387 51 962 600

Please visit Dimitrijevic & Partners atwww.dimitrijevicpartners.com

European Cartel Damage Alliance e.V. (ECDA)

Fr. Helena Juncker

helena.juncker@ecda-online.com

Tel +49 (030) 611 28 40-475

Please visit the European Cartel Damage Alliance e.V. (ECDA) atwww.ecda-online.com