Dacia, Renault, leasing and insurance firms investigated in Romania for collusion

Romania's Competition Council has carried out unannounced inspections at some auto companies and insurance companies as part of a collusion investigation.

The competition watchdog suspects possible negotiations conducted by the Association of Concessionaires Dacia, Renault and Nissan (ACODAREN) and its members for coordinating their policies on tariffs, discounts, and other trading conditions.

The Competition Council's inspectors went to local car producer Automobile Dacia, car importer Renault Commercial Roumanie, consumer financing companies RCI Financier Romania and RCI Leasing Romania IFN and several insurance firms: Allianz-Tiriac Asigurari, Omniasig Vienna Insurance Group, Groupama Asigurari, UNIQA Asigurari, Romanian Insurance - Asirom Vienna Insurance Group and Euroins Romania Insurance-Reinsurance. The consumer financing companies RCI Finanţare România and RCI Leasing România IFN are not subject of the Competition Council's investigation (since they are financial entities, hence under the supervision of Romania's National Bank) but inspections were carried out at their premises to obtain information for the broader investigation.

The competition body decided to expand a probe initiated in 2017 on the market for car maintenance and repair services in Romania. The investigation will be finalized this year.

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