A long-standing lawsuit between two Spanish fresh produce companies and the Hamburg authorities has come to an end.
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The companies were mentioned by name to be the cause of the EHEC crisis by the authorities. Unjustifiably, it later turned out.
It has not been made public how much money the Germans have to pay the Spanish companies.
It is indelibly stamped on the memory of everyone who had even the tiniest bit to do with horticulture: the moment cucumbers were blamed for the EHEC crisis.
The German health service issued warnings for the product of two Spanish companies. Unjustified, it later turned out, but the damage had already been done.
In the summer of 2011, approximately 56 million kilograms of vegetables were dumped on mountains of refuge, and products such as cucumber, bell pepper and tomato were left unharvested on about 500 hectares.
Two Spanish companies have now received compensation from the government of Hamburg.
That is because the Hamburg health service mentioned these two companies by name as the source.
They therefore pressed charges against the Hamburg authorities and sued for compensation worth 2.28 million euro — the damages of the EHEC crisis.
They did not get that amount. However, the judge did decide that the government of Hamburg has to compensate part of the damages: the difference between general EHEC damages, which affected the entire sector, and the damage caused because these companies were mentioned by name.
Exactly how much has not been made public. According to German sources, the amount would have six figures.
In all, 3,950 people were affected and 53 died, 51 of whom were in Germany. 800 people suffered hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), which can lead to kidney failure.
A handful of cases were reported in several other countries including Switzerland, Poland,the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, the UK, Canada and the USA.
Essentially all affected people had been in Germany or France shortly before becoming ill.
Initially, German officials made incorrect statements on the likely origin and strain of Escherichia coli. ■