Overview
- The Higher Regional Court in Hamm canceled the December 3 hearing and suspended proceedings to ask the European Court of Justice to clarify EU-law questions.
- The case is a collective redress action by the German consumer federation vzbv that seeks repayment of unlawfully charged amounts plus interest.
- More than 110,000 people have registered in the Federal Office of Justice’s case register, which preserves claims and enables direct payouts if the suit succeeds.
- Vodafone raised prices for fixed-line internet by €5 per month in 2023, reportedly affecting around 10 million ongoing contracts, and the company cites higher costs and denies illegality.
- With the ECJ now involved, a final decision at the Hamm court (case I-12 VKl 1/23) is widely expected to slip into 2026.