Dutch beer drinkers and café owners may soon be able sue brewers such as Heineken, Grolsch and Bavaria thanks to an ambitious plan which EU competition commissioner Neelie Kroes is set to unveil today, the Telegraaf reports on Thursday.

The plan will make it possible to take companies that have been fined for cartel-forming to court, via a quick and simplified procedure.
Heineken, Grolsch and Bavaria were fined a total of €274m last year.
Other Dutch firms, including Shell and Akzo, have also been fined for cartel-forming and could also face legal claims.
In theory the companies could face damages claims now, but in practise the process is extremely complicated and unworkable. Kroes wants to make it easier so that victims only have to prove that they have been damaged by the cartel.