In Ethylene Cartel Follow-On Litigation, Amsterdam Court Dismisses Claims Against Analysis Group Client

August 5, 2026

Analysis Group was retained by White & Case and Houthoff on behalf of defendant Vestolit, a polymer chemicals business unit of Orbia, in connection with follow-on litigation related to the European Commission’s 2020 finding that Vestolit participated in an infringement related to ethylene procurement along with other major chemical companies. In two separate antitrust matters, ethylene sellers Shell Chemicals Europe and Repsol brought damages claims against Vestolit, alleging that the defendants’ coordination on the ethylene monthly contract price (MCP) caused the MCP – and the resulting price of ethylene – to be set too low.

An Analysis Group team led by Principal Chris Feige, Vice President Philipp Tillmann, and Managers Arjun Dasgupta and Elena Nota provided a damages assessment in both matters. Mr. Feige submitted expert reports and testified at a hearing in March 2026 in the District Court of Amsterdam; his testimony focused on an assessment of the plausibility of the claimants’ damages analysis and the economic impact of the alleged infringement.

The District Court of Amsterdam dismissed both claimants’ damages claims against Vestolit. Adopting Mr. Feige’s critiques of the claimants’ damages theories, the court found the asserted effect of the cartel’s communication on the MCP was not plausible.