Clariant rejects Dow Europe’s €1.1B competition damages claim

Muttenz, Switzerland — Swiss specialty chemicals maker Clariant in a press release, rejected allegations made by Dow Europe in a civil lawsuit seeking approximately €1.1 billion ($1.3 billion) in damages tied to a 2020 European Union antitrust case, calling the claims unfounded and pledging to vigorously defend itself.

The lawsuit stems from a European Commission decision issued in 2020 that found several companies, including Clariant, had violated EU competition law through coordination related to the purchasing of ethylene, a key petrochemical feedstock used in plastics and chemical production. The Commission imposed fines on the companies involved following its investigation.

Dow Europe now alleges it suffered financial harm as a result of the conduct and is seeking damages from four companies connected to the case.

“Clariant firmly rejects the allegation and will adamantly defend its position in the proceedings,” the company said in the release.

The company emphasized that the lawsuit is a civil damages action separate from the European Commission’s earlier enforcement decision. While the Commission’s findings addressed violations of competition law, the current proceedings focus on whether Dow can prove it sustained losses directly attributable to the alleged conduct.

The latest lawsuit is one of several follow-on damages claims filed by companies that bought or sold ethylene during the period covered by the Commission’s investigation.