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French regulators hit express firms with US$735 million in price-fixing fines
THE French competition authority has levied fines totalling EUR672 million (US$735 million) on 20 express and parcel delivery operators as well trade body Transport et Logistique de France (TLF) following an investigation into price-fixing between 2004 and 2010, reports Lloyd's List.
The regulator said there had been "repeated consultation between competitors on annual rate increases", while smaller-scale collusive action, concerning 15 of the firms and the TLF, had focused on "defining a common method of passing on a fuel surcharge".
The biggest fine, EUR196 million, has been handed to Geodis. Among the other notable names to be sanctioned are French post office units Chronopost (EUR99 million) and DPD France - formerly Exapaq (EUR44.9 million) - DHL Express France (EUR81 million), TNT Express (EUR58.5 million), Dachser France (EUR33.4 million), Gefco (EUR30.6 million) Fedex Express France (EUR17 million) and Norbert Dentressangle Distribution (EUR9.7 million).
In return for its "full co-operation", Kuehne+Nagel's French unit, Alloin, saw its fine reduced 30 per cent to EUR32 million. And Schenker France also picked up a EUR3 million fine despite parent company Deutsche Bahn being the 'whistleblower' on the price-fixing practices.
Regarding the EUR32 million fine for the Alloin Group, Kuehne + Nagel is considering an appeal because offences occurred before the Swiss forwarding giant bought Alloin.
"Kuehne + Nagel dissociates itself from such business practises, has a comprehensive compliance programme in place, which is continuously improving, and has been cooperating with the French Competition Authority since 2010," said a company statement.
The regulator said there had been "repeated consultation between competitors on annual rate increases", while smaller-scale collusive action, concerning 15 of the firms and the TLF, had focused on "defining a common method of passing on a fuel surcharge".
The biggest fine, EUR196 million, has been handed to Geodis. Among the other notable names to be sanctioned are French post office units Chronopost (EUR99 million) and DPD France - formerly Exapaq (EUR44.9 million) - DHL Express France (EUR81 million), TNT Express (EUR58.5 million), Dachser France (EUR33.4 million), Gefco (EUR30.6 million) Fedex Express France (EUR17 million) and Norbert Dentressangle Distribution (EUR9.7 million).
In return for its "full co-operation", Kuehne+Nagel's French unit, Alloin, saw its fine reduced 30 per cent to EUR32 million. And Schenker France also picked up a EUR3 million fine despite parent company Deutsche Bahn being the 'whistleblower' on the price-fixing practices.
Regarding the EUR32 million fine for the Alloin Group, Kuehne + Nagel is considering an appeal because offences occurred before the Swiss forwarding giant bought Alloin.
"Kuehne + Nagel dissociates itself from such business practises, has a comprehensive compliance programme in place, which is continuously improving, and has been cooperating with the French Competition Authority since 2010," said a company statement.
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