A Dutch foundation is suing Visa and Mastercard in the District Court of Amsterdam for Dutch merchants. It alleges that their fees on payments with cards issued outside the European Economic Area breached competition law from 1992. On August 12, 2026, the court rejected both networks’ jurisdiction challenges, and their statements of defense are due on November 4, 2026.
Latest development Aug 12, 2026
On August 12, 2026, the District Court of Amsterdam rejected the jurisdiction challenges of Visa and Mastercard. It held that it can hear the claims against the foreign Visa and Mastercard entities and the claims brought for merchants outside Amsterdam. Both networks must file statements of defense by November 4, 2026, which may be limited to admissibility questions.
Why it matters
The case tests whether Dutch merchants can recover decades of interregional card fees that the European Commission capped through commitments without finding an infringement. The August 2026 rulings keep U.S. and Belgian network entities in a Dutch collective action.
Background
Interregional multilateral interchange fees (MIFs) apply when a merchant in the European Economic Area (EEA) accepts a card issued outside it. The European Commission opened investigations into Visa in 2012 and took the preliminary view that its interregional fees breached the EU ban on cartels. On April 29, 2019, it made binding commitments by Visa and by Mastercard to cap these fees at reduced levels. The commitment decisions did not find an infringement.
On July 8, 2025, Stichting Multilateral Interchange Fees Claims (MIFC) summoned eight Visa entities and three Mastercard entities in collective actions under the Dutch Act on Collective Damages Claims (WAMCA). It acts for businesses in the Netherlands that paid interregional fees from May 22, 1992. It seeks declarations that the fees were unlawful, compensation, and an order stopping the fees. Scott+Scott Amsterdam filed the claims. A board member of the foundation said economists estimate the total damage at €1B or more. In September 2025, the Royal Dutch Hospitality Association (KHN) advised hotels and restaurants to register.
On August 12, 2026, the court took jurisdiction over the Visa entities based in the United Kingdom and the United States. It relied on Visa Europe (Netherlands) B.V., based in Amsterdam, as anchor defendant. It based jurisdiction over Mastercard Europe, based in Belgium, on the place where the merchants suffered the damage, and over the U.S. Mastercard entities on the anchor defendant rule. In the Mastercard cases, it also held that it may hear claims for merchants outside the Amsterdam district. Visa and Mastercard have not yet answered the claims on the merits.
Timeline 6 events
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Scheduled orderVisa and Mastercard statements of defense due
The statements may be limited to the admissibility questions that the court decides first in a WAMCA case.
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JudgmentAmsterdam court rejects Mastercard’s jurisdiction challenges
The court took jurisdiction over Mastercard Europe as the place of damage and over the U.S. entities through the anchor rule. It dismissed a protective second Mastercard action as no longer needed.
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JudgmentAmsterdam court keeps foreign Visa entities in the case
The court rejected Visa’s jurisdiction challenge, relying on Visa Europe (Netherlands) B.V. as anchor defendant.
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OtherDutch hospitality association advises members to join the claim
KHN pointed to hotels and restaurants with many foreign guests and to virtual cards issued outside the EEA.
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FilingMIFC foundation sues Visa and Mastercard in Amsterdam
The foundation filed collective actions for Dutch businesses that paid interregional fees since 1992 and asked the court to stop the fees.
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OtherEuropean Commission accepts Visa and Mastercard interregional fee commitments
The Commission made binding the networks’ commitments to cap interregional fees at reduced levels, without finding an infringement.