Record fine for engineering companies

2007-04-30
Chaiman of the Czech office for the Protection of Competion (UOHS) Martin Pecina has reduced in his second instance decision the record fine imposed on 16 international engineering companies. The verdict has taken effect and the companies can turn to the Regional Court in Brno.

Companies were fined for long-term international cartel agreement. The overall fine of Kc941.88m remains the highest in the UOHS history despite a decline from Kc979m. The UOHS lowered the fine in the case of Areva to prove turnover that is decisive for the size of the fine (Areva will pay Kc10m instead of Kc28m). Siemens AG succeeded as well (Kc107.25m instead of the original fine of Kc126.6m). The Office shortened the period of its participation in the cartel by one year.

The UOHS concluded that the companies coordinated their price bids in tenders for gas insulated switchgear projects in order for all of them to win some of the contracts. The agreement was applied almost all over the world since 1988. Swiss company ABB which was also involved in the cartel has not been fined because it informed about the cartel according to leniency programme.

Fines

ALSTOM (Société Anonyme)

85.581.000,- CZK

AREVA T&D SA

69.552.000,- CZK

AREVA T&D AG

58.926.000,- CZK

AREVA T&D Holding SA

10.000.000,- CZK

Fuji Electric Holdings Co., Ltd.

44.408.000,- CZK

Fuji Electric Systems Co., Ltd.

44.408.000,- CZK

Hitachi Ltd.

54.600.000,- CZK

Hitachi Europe Limited

54.600.000,- CZK

Japan AE Power Systems Corporation

44.408.000,- CZK

Mitsubishi Electric Corporation

75.348.000,- CZK

Toshiba Corporation

70.762.000,- CZK

Siemens AG

107.248.000,- CZK

Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Österreich

88.816.000,- CZK

VA Tech Transmission & Distribution GmbH & Co KEG

44.408.000,- CZK

Siemens Transmission and Distribution Limited

44.408.000,- CZK

Nuova Magrini Galileo S.p.A.

44.408.000,- CZK

total

941.881.000,- CZK

External Relations Department

2025-01-08 / Google Made Changes to one of its Services in Reaction to the Investigation of the Office Last year, the Office for the Protection of Competition investigated possible abuse of a dominant position by Google Czech Republic, s.r.o, its parent company Google International LLC and Google Ireland...

2024-11-19 / Pet Food Supplier VAFO Has to Pay CZK 120 million for Prohibited Resale Price Fixing The Office for the Protection of Competition (hereinafter referred to as “the Office”) imposed a fine of CZK 120,121,000 on the undertaking VAFO PRAHA (hereinafter referred to as "VAFO") for the...

2024-10-16 / The Office is Conducting a Dawn Raid at the Premises of the Undertaking Seznam.cz Following numerous media inquiries, we confirm that the Office for the Protection of Competition (hereinafter referred to as “the Office“) is conducting an unannounced inspection of Seznam.cz

2024-10-01 / Merger of PPF Group and Nordic Telecom May Take Place Subject to Commitments The Office for the Protection of Competition has cleared the merger by its final decision, as a result of which PPF TMT Holdco 2 B.V. may acquire, through O2 Czech Republic a.s., sole control over Nordic...

2024-09-16 / The 2024 St. Martin's Conference Program Will Offer a new Competition Tool and Private Enforcement The Office for the Protection of Competition (hereinafter referred to as "the Office") is preparing the 17th annual St. Martin Conference on trends, news and hot topics in the field of competition. The...

2024-07-11 / English Version of Annual Report 2023 published The Office for the Protection of Competition presents the English version of its annual report for the year 2023, summarising the results of its activities in all areas of its competence, i.e., in the...

2024-06-19 / Office for the Protection of Competition Cooperates with European Public Prosecutor's Office Today in Luxembourg, Mr Petr Mlsna, the Chairman of the Office for the Protection of Competition, signed an agreement with the European chief prosecutor, Ms Laura Codruţa Kövesi, on cooperation between...

2024-05-09 / The Office Revealed and Punished Another Cartel Agreement between Construction Companies The Office for the Protection of Competition imposed fines totalling CZK 7,442,000 on the construction companies B.H.S. BOHEMIA, a.s., SEŽEV facility s.r.o., COMMODUM, spol. s r.o. and Hroší stavby...

If you want to recieve news by email please give us your adress and choose topic.

Email:
Significant Market Power
Public Procurement
State Aid
Competition
Significant Market Power
cs | en
+420 542 167 111 · posta@uohs.gov.cz
cs | en