BASF Seeks €1.4 Billion in Damages from Clariant and Three Other Companies

On January 13, 2025, Clariant announced via its official website that it received a damage claim from BASF on January 9, 2025. BASF has filed a lawsuit at the Munich court in Germany, seeking €1.4 billion in compensation.

The lawsuit alleges that Clariant, along with three other companies, violated EU antitrust regulations during the procurement of ethylene. This behavior had previously resulted in sanctions from the European Commission in July 2020.

According to BASF, the illegal actions of these companies distorted the pricing of ethylene and certain ethylene derivatives, causing harm to BASF's interests. The company is now pursuing compensation for these damages.

Background of the Case

In 2020, the European Commission imposed fines totaling €260 million on Clariant, Orbia, and Celanese for colluding to depress ethylene procurement prices, in violation of EU antitrust laws. The Commission noted that Westlake was also involved in the procurement alliance but avoided fines due to its disclosure of these activities to the authorities.

Clariant's Response

A spokesperson for Clariant confirmed that BASF's claim targets the four companies involved and emphasized that any distribution of damages would be determined based on a valid legal ruling. Clariant firmly denies the allegations and asserts that it will vigorously defend its position in court. The company has stated that it has provided substantial economic evidence demonstrating that the actions in question did not affect the market.