Fresh price fixing probe as officials raid manufacturers
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kevin.swallow@rbi.co.uk A SECOND PRICE ixing investigation is under way following a raid by European Commission (EC) antitrust oficials on the head ofices of European truck manufacturers.
It follows the Ofice of Fair Trading (OFT) price ixing investigation into the UK truck industry last September. The OFT raided the head ofices of Mercedes-Benz in Tongwell, Milton Keynes before requesting information from the UK ofices of other truck manufacturers.
In a statement, the EC says it has reason to believe that “the companies concerned may have violated EU antitrust rules that prohibit cartels and restrictive business practices and/or the abuse of a dominant market position” .
So far Volvo Group, MAN, Scania and Daimler have conirmed that the EC visited their respective ofices, and that they will co-operate fully with the investigation.
Meanwhile, CM has been told by the OFT that the two investigations are not linked, but that the OFT and EC are co-operating closely with each other.
Any company found guilty of breaking competition rules can be ined up to 10% of its global turnover.