National Grid Electricity Transmission Plc v ABB Ltd & Ors

National Grid Electricity Transmission Plc v ABB Ltd & Ors

The risk of prosecution under the French blocking statute for compliance with an English court disclosure order is purely theoretical, and the existence of the EU Evidence Regulation does not require the court to use it for ordinary disclosure between parties. The court should order disclosure against the French Defendants as with all other defendants.

Parties
Claimant: National Grid Electricity Transmission PLC; Defendant: ABB Limited; Defendant: ABB Power T & D Limited; Defendant: ABB Holdings Limited; Defendant: ABB Asea Brown Boveri Limited; Defendant: Alstom; Defendant: Alstom Limited; Defendant: Alstom UK Holdings Limited; Defendant: Alstom Holdings; Defendant: Areva SA; Defendant: Alstom Grid UK Limited; Defendant: Siemens AG; Defendant: Siemens Transmission & Distribution Limited; Defendant: VA Tech Reyrolle Distribution Limited; Defendant: Siemens PLC; Defendant: VA Tech (UK) Limited; Defendant: Siemens Holdings PLC; Defendant: VA Tech Schneider High Voltage GmbH; Defendant: VA Tech Transmission & Distribution GmbH & Co KEG; Defendant: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Österreich; Defendant: Alstom Grid SAS; Defendant: Alstom Grid AG
Jurisdiction
England and Wales
Judgment Date
11 April 2013
Procedural Posture
Civil / Ruling on Disclosure Applications Prior to Trial
Outcome
Claimant's application for disclosure against French Defendants granted; French Defendants' applications for court-to-court request under EU Evidence Regulation refused.
Legal Topics
Cartel Damages, Disclosure, French Blocking Statute, EU Evidence Regulation
Competition Law Civil Procedure European Union Law Cartel Damages Disclosure French Blocking Statute EU Evidence Regulation

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Parties

National Grid Electricity Transmission PLC

Claimant

ABB Limited

Defendant

ABB Power T & D Limited

Defendant

ABB Holdings Limited

Defendant

ABB Asea Brown Boveri Limited

Defendant

Alstom

Defendant

Alstom Limited

Defendant

Alstom UK Holdings Limited

Defendant

Alstom Holdings

Defendant

Areva SA

Defendant

Alstom Grid UK Limited

Defendant

Siemens AG

Defendant

Siemens Transmission & Distribution Limited

Defendant

VA Tech Reyrolle Distribution Limited

Defendant

Siemens PLC

Defendant

VA Tech (UK) Limited

Defendant

Siemens Holdings PLC

Defendant

VA Tech Schneider High Voltage GmbH

Defendant

VA Tech Transmission & Distribution GmbH & Co KEG

Defendant

Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Österreich

Defendant

Alstom Grid SAS

Defendant

Alstom Grid AG

Defendant

Procedural Posture

Civil / Ruling on Disclosure Applications Prior to Trial

Legal Issues

  1. 1 Should the English court order disclosure against French defendants despite the French blocking statute?
  2. 2 Is the EU Evidence Regulation an appropriate mechanism for disclosure in this context?
  3. 3 What is the likelihood of prosecution under the French blocking statute for compliance with an English disclosure order?

Ratio Decidendi

The risk of prosecution under the French blocking statute for compliance with an English court disclosure order is purely theoretical, and the existence of the EU Evidence Regulation does not require the court to use it for ordinary disclosure between parties. The court should order disclosure against the French Defendants as with all other defendants.

Court Disposition

Claimant's application for disclosure against French Defendants granted; French Defendants' applications for court-to-court request under EU Evidence Regulation refused.

Orders

  • Disclosure order to be made against French Defendants.
  • Applications for request to French court under Regulation 1206/2001 refused.