Merchant Interchange Fee Umbrella Proceedings [2025] CAT 79 (24 November 2025)

Merchant Interchange Fee Umbrella Proceedings [2025] CAT 79 (24 November 2025)

The Tribunal held that the interchange fee arrangements were capable of restricting competition and that the collective proceedings were suitable for certification, allowing the case to proceed.

Citation
[2025] CAT 79
Parties
Applicant: Various Merchants; Respondent: Mastercard Incorporated; Respondent: Visa Europe Services LLC
Jurisdiction
United Kingdom
Judgment Date
24 November 2025
Procedural Posture
Competition Appeal / Judgment
Outcome
Application for collective proceedings certification granted
Legal Topics
Interchange Fees, Anticompetitive Agreements, Collective Proceedings

Case Brief

Summary, issues, holding and outcome

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Parties

Various Merchants

Applicant

Mastercard Incorporated

Respondent

Visa Europe Services LLC

Respondent

Procedural Posture

Competition Appeal / Judgment

  1. 1 Whether the interchange fee arrangements constituted a restriction of competition under Article 101 TFEU and Chapter I of the Competition Act 1998
  2. 2 Whether the collective proceedings are suitable for certification under the Competition Appeal Tribunal Rules

Ratio Decidendi

The Tribunal held that the interchange fee arrangements were capable of restricting competition and that the collective proceedings were suitable for certification, allowing the case to proceed.

Court Disposition

Application for collective proceedings certification granted

Orders

  • Collective proceedings certified under section 47B of the Competition Act 1998
  • Case to proceed to trial on the merits