Romania’s Competition Council, the local institution in charge with ensuring fair trade competition, issued total fines worth EUR 82.7 million in 2019, four times higher than the previous year (EUR 20.3 mln).

The competition watchdog completed several important cases in 2020 when the value of fines was the third-highest in its history.

“Unlike other years, most of these fines were acknowledged (by the receivers – e.n.) – almost half of them,” said Competition Council president Bogdan Chiritoiu.

The companies that have admitted their involvement in anti-competition practices received lower fines and will not challenge them in court.

The biggest fines targeted companies that colluded on the timber processing market (EUR 26.6 mln), agriculture equipment market (EUR 26.5 mln), and financial leasing companies (EUR 8.47 mln).

Dante International, the owner of the biggest online retail platform in Romania – eMAG – was also fined EUR 6.7 mln for abuse of dominant position related to the vendors on its marketplace platform. Pharmaceutical group GSK also received a EUR 2.6 mln fine.

(Photo: Consiliul Concurentei Facebook Page)

andrei@romania-insider.com