Supreme Court to study class action lawsuit for the closure of businesses from pandemic measures

Compensation of more than €300 million is sought from the Spanish government, which have not responded to the demands

A sign reading 'Bar closed' in the Ovella Negre bar in Barcelona (by Albert Cadanet)
A sign reading 'Bar closed' in the Ovella Negre bar in Barcelona (by Albert Cadanet) / ACN

ACN | Barcelona

August 16, 2021 11:47 AM

PEACovid-19, a group representing businesspeople who have had their livelihoods affected by pandemic measures, will have a class action lawsuit against the Spanish government studied by the Supreme Court. 

They are seeking more than €300 million in damages as, in their view, poor management of the health crisis led to them to close their businesses.

The suit was first filed last December but Pedro Sánchez’s administration never responded to it, thus allowing the silence procedure to be decreed, authorising the Supreme Court to study the case.

The platform represents businesses from across Spain, with some from Catalonia including the Ovella Negra bar, Pachá nightclub, BusBarVic, El Venice in the Barcelona region, and  The Rallye and Alábriga hotels and the One sushi restaurant in Girona, plus Lo cafè del port in Tarragona.

The association believes that the mistakes in the management of the pandemic “have been numerous” and many of the decisions have been “inconsistent.” 

“Instead of agreeing or demanding security measures, they have forced us to close, with the losses that this has entailed,” the group laments.