Compliance Radar
Who was sanctioned, and for what?
Fines, court rulings and incidents from Europe, North America, Latin America, Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa: 2,207 cases from 44 jurisdictions, each with an official source and checked against that source before publication. Filter by country, area of law and sector. Click a chart to drill down one level.
Click a bar to drill down one level.
Where?
by regionAll jurisdictions
- EU €11.3bn 85 % · 222 cases
- South Korea €689.9m 5 % · 9 cases
- United Kingdom €476.7m 4 % · 17 cases
- Norway €421.7m 3 % · 3 cases
- USA €211.7m 2 % · 7 cases
- Brazil €90.8m 1 % · 18 cases
- Switzerland €55.6m 0 % · 10 cases
- Canada €36m 0 % · 6 cases
- Singapore €15.9m 0 % · 4 cases
- Iceland €11.2m 0 % · 2 cases
- 3 more€13.2m
What for?
by topicWho?
by sectorAll sectors
- Media and online platforms €4.48bn 34 % · 28 cases
- Retail and e-commerce €2.05bn 15 % · 47 cases
- Energy and utilities €1.44bn 11 % · 30 cases
- Chemicals and pharmaceuticals €951.5m 7 % · 20 cases
- Food and agriculture €915.8m 7 % · 37 cases
- Automotive €783.9m 6 % · 15 cases
- Manufacturing and mechanical engineering €689.8m 5 % · 20 cases
- Telecoms, IT and software €520.9m 4 % · 23 cases
- Construction and real estate €437.6m 3 % · 34 cases
- Financial services and insurance €400m 3 % · 15 cases
- 6 more€685.9m
When?
per year, by date of decision| Period | Cases | Total |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 32 | €481.3m |
| 2023 | 61 | €1.16bn |
| 2024 | 66 | €4.27bn |
| 2025 | 91 | €6.53bn |
| 2026 | 72 | €914.8m |
322 cases
24 Sep 2026 Plaček Pet Products s.r.o.Plaček Pet Products: 36.4 million CZK for minimum prices on pet food €1.49m
From January 2013 to March 2022, the distributor of premium pet food and pet supplies imposed minimum resale prices on its retailers and threatened sanctions if they were undercut. In a settlement procedure, the Úřad pro ochranu hospodářské soutěže (Czech Office for the Protection of Competition, ÚOHS) imposed 36.438 million CZK; the company ended the conduct after the inspection and introduced a compliance programme.
Never enforce recommended retail prices with supply stops or sanctions – sales teams need clear rules on this.
Price requirements imposed on retailers in sales
Missing or inadequate training played a role in the decision.
- Authority / court
- Úřad pro ochranu hospodářské soutěže (ÚOHS)
- Area of law
- Competition law · Cartels and collusion
- Legal basis
- Verbot vertikaler Preisbindung (tschechisches Wettbewerbsgesetz, Art. 101 AEUV)
- Action
- Fine
- Status of proceedings
- final
- Sector
- Retail and e-commerce
- Culpability
- intentional
- Mitigating circumstances
- Termination immediately after the inspection, information of customers about free pricing, full cooperation, settlement and newly introduced compliance programme.
- Published
- 24 Sep 2026
Original amount 36,438,000 CZK, converted at the ECB reference rate of 24 Sep 2026.
- Distributor krmiv pro domácí zvířata dostal pokutu 36 milionů korun za diktování cen maloobchodníkům Press release of an authority
Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link
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24 Sep 2026 M&J GroupCMA: fine against construction firm for concealing evidence during an inspection €29,075
During an inspection as part of an investigation into bid rigging, a work mobile phone and documents were removed from the premises on the instructions of a manager, and possession of a work mobile phone was denied. The UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) imposed a fine of 25,000 GBP on M&J.
Dawn raid training is mandatory: removing mobile phones or documents during an inspection obstructs the investigation, even when acting on instructions.
Correct conduct during inspections (dawn raids), no removal of evidence
- Authority / court
- Competition and Markets Authority (CMA)
- Area of law
- Competition law · Cartels and collusion
- Legal basis
- Section 40A(1) Competition Act 1998
- Action
- Fine
- Status of proceedings
- unknown
- Sector
- Construction and real estate
- Culpability
- intentional
- Liability of senior managers
- Measures against individuals are not reported here.
- Published
- 24 Sep 2026
Original amount 25,000 GBP, converted at the ECB reference rate of 24 Sep 2026.
- CMA, Pressemitteilung zu M&J Group (Entscheidung 2025) Press release of an authority
Checked against the official source on 28 Sep 2026 · Version 3 · Direct link
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24 Sep 2026 Kalibrate Canada (Tochter der Kalibrate Technologies Ltd.)Canada: Kalibrate must stop sharing retailer-specific petrol station data Order
Kalibrate's "Market Intelligence" product passed on retailer-specific sales data from petrol stations that allowed conclusions to be drawn about competitors and could facilitate coordinated pricing behaviour. In an agreement registered with the Competition Tribunal, Kalibrate undertakes to supply only aggregated and time-delayed data – the first case under the reformed abuse of dominance rules.
Providers of market and price data must ensure that their products do not disseminate individualised competitor data.
- Authority / court
- Competition Bureau Canada (Consent Agreement beim Competition Tribunal)
- Area of law
- Competition law · Abuse of market power
- Legal basis
- Abuse-of-dominance-Bestimmungen des Competition Act (Fassung 2023)
- Action
- Order
- Status of proceedings
- unknown
- Sector
- Energy and utilities
- Published
- 24 Sep 2026
- Competition Bureau secures agreement with Kalibrate to protect competition in the retail gas industry Press release of an authority
Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link
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22 Sep 2026 Carioca Christiani-Nielsen Engenharia S.A.Carioca Engenharia pays 6.13 million BRL in CADE settlement on construction tenders €1.04m
Carioca Christiani-Nielsen Engenharia S.A. concluded a single settlement (Termo de Compromisso de Cessação) with the Conselho Administrativo de Defesa Econômica (CADE, Brazilian competition authority) covering four proceedings concerning alleged collusion in public tenders for infrastructure projects (metro, airports operated by Infraero, the rail company CPTM and the transport authority DNIT). The company admitted its participation, allegedly pays 6,134,676.92 BRL in instalments to the Fund for Diffuse Rights (FDD) and waives court and administrative disputes on these matters. Together with the company’s earlier settlements with CADE, its contributions exceed 90 million BRL.
A settlement covering all pending cartel cases creates legal certainty but requires an admission, payment and full cooperation.
Bid rigging in public construction contracts
- Authority / court
- Conselho Administrativo de Defesa Econômica (CADE)
- Area of law
- Competition law · Cartels and collusion
- Legal basis
- Lei nº 12.529/2011 (Lei de Defesa da Concorrência), Termo de Compromisso de Cessação
- Action
- Other
- Status of proceedings
- final
- Sector
- Construction and real estate
- Published
- 22 Sep 2026
Original amount 6,134,676.92 BRL, converted at the ECB reference rate of 22 Sep 2026.
- CADE – Cade celebra acordo com construtora em quatro investigações de cartel (22.09.2026) Press release of an authority
Checked against the official source on 3 Oct 2026 · Direct link
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22 Sep 2026 Empire Company LimitedSobeys parent Empire: consent agreement on property controls in grocery retail Order
Empire Company Limited, parent company of grocery banners such as Sobeys, Farm Boy, Safeway, IGA, Foodland, FreshCo, Marché Bonichoix and Les Marchés Tradition, reached an agreement with the Competition Bureau on its use of property controls in the Canadian grocery sector. The Commissioner of Competition filed it with the Competition Tribunal as a registered consent agreement on 22 September 2026. In June 2026 the Bureau had obtained court orders to advance its investigation into these property controls.
Use and exclusivity restrictions on property can be challenged under competition law where they make it harder for competitors to access sites.
- Authority / court
- Competition Bureau Canada (Consent Agreement, registriert beim Competition Tribunal)
- Area of law
- Competition law
- Legal basis
- Competition Act; beim Competition Tribunal registriertes Consent Agreement (Paragraf in den zugänglichen Quellen nicht genannt)
- Action
- Order
- Status of proceedings
- final
- Sector
- Retail and e-commerce
- Employees
- 10,000 or more
- Published
- 22 Sep 2026
- Competition Tribunal: Empire Company Limited – Registered Consent Agreement (eingereicht 22.09.2026) Official register or notice
- Competition Bureau: Competition Bureau reaches agreement with Sobeys' parent company Empire to address grocery property controls (22.09.2026) Press release of an authority
- Competition Bureau: Backgrounder – agreement with Empire on grocery property controls (22.09.2026) Press release of an authority
- Competition Bureau: Competition Bureau advances investigation into Sobeys' use of property controls across Canada (22.06.2026) Press release of an authority
Checked against the official source on 3 Oct 2026 · Direct link
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17 Sep 2026 Lesy České republiky, s.p. (Lesy ČR)Lesy ČR: 17.3 million CZK for export ban on wood chips €710,383
From July 2021 to July 2024, the state forestry company contractually prohibited a customer from actively and passively exporting wood chips and logging residues and secured the ban with a right of termination. The Úřad pro ochranu hospodářské soutěže (Czech Office for the Protection of Competition, ÚOHS) considered this a restriction of competition by object under Czech and EU law and imposed 17.268 million CZK (first instance, not final).
State-owned companies are also subject to competition law – have export and resale bans in framework agreements legally reviewed before signing.
Anticompetitive clauses in supply contracts
- Authority / court
- Úřad pro ochranu hospodářské soutěže (ÚOHS)
- Area of law
- Competition law · Cartels and collusion
- Legal basis
- Tschechisches Wettbewerbsgesetz, Art. 101 AEUV (Exportverbot)
- Action
- Fine
- Status of proceedings
- unknown
- Sector
- Food and agriculture
- Mitigating circumstances
- Voluntary termination immediately after proceedings were opened.
- Published
- 17 Sep 2026
Original amount 17,268,000 CZK, converted at the ECB reference rate of 17 Sep 2026.
- Lesy ČR banned wood-chip exports and were imposed a fine of more than CZK 17 million Press release of an authority
Checked against the official source on 28 Sep 2026 · Version 2 · Direct link
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9 Sep 2026 Moorim P&P, Moorim Paper, Hansol Paper u. a. (6 Unternehmen)Bid-rigging for printing paper for Nongmin News: six paper firms sanctioned €1.93m
According to the KFTC (Korea Fair Trade Commission, Korea's competition authority), six manufacturers and distributors of printing paper fixed in advance the winning bidder, cover bidders and bid prices in six tenders issued by the publisher Nongmin News Corp. between June 2021 and November 2024; the average winning bid rate was around 96.2%, compared with 87.6% in 2018 to 2020. The KFTC issued corrective orders, imposed fines totalling KRW 3,009 million (Moorim SP KRW 59 million, Moorim Paper KRW 573 million, Moorim P&P KRW 948 million, Hansol Paper KRW 556 million, Hankuk Paper KRW 515 million, Hongwon Paper KRW 358 million).
Competition compliance reviews should always cover tender business as well as general pricing, because collusion there often runs in parallel.
Bid-rigging in tenders
- Authority / court
- Korea Fair Trade Commission (KFTC)
- Area of law
- Competition law · Cartels and collusion
- Legal basis
- Art. 40 Abs. 1 Nr. 8 MRFTA (Monopoly Regulation and Fair Trade Act)
- Action
- Fine
- Status of proceedings
- unknown
- Sector
- Manufacturing and mechanical engineering
- Published
- 9 Sep 2026
Original amount 3,009,000,000 KRW, converted at the ECB reference rate of 9 Sep 2026.
- KFTC press release (EN), 10 Sep 2026: KFTC Sanctions Bid-Rigging in Nongmin News Corp. Printing Paper Tenders Press release of an authority
- KFTC-Pressemitteilung (KO), 09.09.2026: 농민신문사 발주 인쇄용지 입찰담합 제재 Press release of an authority
- KFTC-Pressemitteilung (KO, PDF) mit Bußgeldtabelle je Unternehmen und Rechtsgrundlage Press release of an authority
Checked against the official source on 4 Oct 2026 · Direct link
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2 Sep 2026 Cervejaria Petrópolis S.A. (em recuperação judicial); Imcopa Importação, Exportação e Indústria de Óleos S.A.CADE fines Cervejaria Petrópolis for early closing of Imcopa takeover €231,813
The Tribunal of the Conselho Administrativo de Defesa Econômica (CADE, Brazilian competition authority) unanimously found that Cervejaria Petrópolis had taken control of the oil producer Imcopa before the legally required notification (gun jumping) and imposed a fine of 1,382,418.22 BRL. According to the investigation, the acquisition was completed on 19 March 2024 but notified only on 9 April 2024; CADE itself cleared the transaction without conditions in April 2024. The argument that the change of control resulted from court decisions in the judicial reorganisation proceedings (recuperação judicial) did not persuade the authority. The amount and the facts have not been confirmed against the primary source.
Acquisitions in a restructuring or insolvency context, too, may be completed only after notification and clearance.
Standstill obligation before clearance in merger control (gun jumping)
- Authority / court
- Conselho Administrativo de Defesa Econômica (CADE), Tribunal Administrativo
- Area of law
- Competition law · Merger control
- Legal basis
- Art. 88 § 3 Lei nº 12.529/2011 (Lei de Defesa da Concorrência)
- Action
- Fine
- Status of proceedings
- unknown
- Sector
- Food and agriculture
- Published
- 8 Sep 2026
Original amount 1,382,418.22 BRL, converted at the ECB reference rate of 2 Sep 2026.
- Diário Oficial da União, 09.09.2026 – Ata da 271ª Sessão Ordinária de Julgamento do CADE, Procedimento Administrativo de Apuração de Ato de Concentração nº 08700.002250/2024-84 Official register or notice
- CADE – Cade reconhece prática de gun jumping entre Cervejaria Petrópolis e Imcopa (08.09.2026) Press release of an authority
Checked against the official source on 3 Oct 2026 · Direct link
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26 Aug 2026 O2 Czech Republic a.s.; SHERLOG Technology, a.s.O2 Czech Republic and SHERLOG: 280 million CZK for customer allocation in vehicle tracking €11.7m
From December 2012 to June 2022, the two companies allocated customers for vehicle tracking and electronic logbook services between themselves and coordinated bids, including in public tenders. At first instance, the Úřad pro ochranu hospodářské soutěže (Czech Office for the Protection of Competition, ÚOHS) fined O2 262.32 million CZK and SHERLOG 18.357 million CZK and imposed a six-month ban on public contracts; for O2, the fine was increased instead of a procurement ban.
Do not let sales cooperation with competitors turn into customer allocation – e-mail arrangements about individual tenders are the typical evidence.
Coordination with cooperation partners on customers and tenders
- Authority / court
- Úřad pro ochranu hospodářské soutěže (ÚOHS)
- Area of law
- Competition law · Cartels and collusion
- Legal basis
- Tschechisches Wettbewerbsgesetz, Art. 101 AEUV
- Action
- Fine
- Status of proceedings
- unknown
- Sector
- Telecoms, IT and software
- Culpability
- intentional
- Published
- 26 Aug 2026
Original amount 280,677,000 CZK, converted at the ECB reference rate of 26 Aug 2026.
- Fines exceeding CZK 280 million imposed on O2 Czech Republic and SHERLOG Technology for cartel agreement Press release of an authority
Checked against the official source on 28 Sep 2026 · Version 2 · Direct link
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26 Aug 2026 Wolt DenmarkWolt: Competition Council finds abuse of dominant position vis-à-vis restaurants Order
In 2022–2024, the delivery service used a standard clause to prohibit restaurants from being cheaper on their own channels than on Wolt, while at the same time being able to grant discounts without consultation and to compensate customers up to 400 DKK at the restaurants’ expense. The Konkurrencerådet (Danish Competition Council) ordered the practice to cease, required Wolt to inform all restaurants and intends to enforce a fine through the courts.
Platforms with a high market share should have parity clauses and unilateral cost shifting in standard terms reviewed under competition law.
- Authority / court
- Konkurrencerådet (Danish Competition Council)
- Area of law
- Competition law · Abuse of market power
- Legal basis
- Konkurrenceloven; AEUV Art. 102
- Action
- Order
- Status of proceedings
- unknown
- Sector
- Media and online platforms
- Published
- 26 Aug 2026
- KFST – Wolt has abused its dominant position (26.08.2026) Press release of an authority
Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link
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25 Aug 2026 Elizabeta Promet d.o.o., SolinCroatia: 10,000 EUR against Elizabeta Promet for deliveries without a written contract €10,000
As a buyer with significant bargaining power, the company from Solin purchased agricultural and food products from two suppliers without written contracts. The Agencija za zaštitu tržišnog natjecanja (Croatian Competition Agency, AZTN) considered this an unfair trading practice and, taking mitigating circumstances into account, imposed 10,000 EUR (date = publication).
In food purchasing, the mere absence of written supply contracts is an infringement – a simple contract standard prevents this.
Written form for supply contracts in food purchasing
- Authority / court
- Agencija za zaštitu tržišnog natjecanja (AZTN)
- Area of law
- Competition law · Abuse of market power
- Legal basis
- Zakon o zabrani nepoštenih trgovačkih praksi u lancu opskrbe hranom (ZNTP)
- Action
- Fine
- Status of proceedings
- unknown
- Sector
- Food and agriculture
- Mitigating circumstances
- Several mitigating circumstances taken into account
- Published
- 25 Aug 2026
- Provedba ZNTP-a: AZTN kaznio ELIZABETU PROMET d.o.o., Solin s 10.000,00 eura zbog nametanja nepoštenih trgovačkih praksi Press release of an authority
Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link
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25 Aug 2026 Kommunal Landspensjonskasse Gjensidig Forsikringsselskap (KLP)KLP: binding commitments after suspected abuse in municipal pensions Order
Konkurransetilsynet (Norwegian Competition Authority) made commitments offered by KLP binding and thereby closed its investigation into a possible abuse of a dominant position in public occupational pensions for municipalities. The authority was concerned that, from 2019, when a competitor entered the market, KLP had systematically discouraged municipalities from putting their occupational pension schemes out to tender; KLP now undertakes to refrain from such influence and to remedy the effects of its earlier practice. No infringement was conclusively established and no fine was imposed.
Dominant companies must not use close customer relationships to deter customers from running tenders – even a suspicion of this can lead to binding obligations.
Conduct of dominant companies towards public purchasers
- Authority / court
- Konkurransetilsynet
- Area of law
- Competition law · Abuse of market power
- Legal basis
- § 12 Abs. 3 i. V. m. § 11 konkurranseloven; Art. 54 EWR-Abkommen
- Action
- Order
- Status of proceedings
- unknown
- Sector
- Financial services and insurance
- Published
- 2 Sep 2026
Checked against the official source on 28 Sep 2026 · Direct link
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19 Aug 2026 Sioux Erosion Control Inc.DOJ: jury convicts erosion control firm of price fixing in Oklahoma road construction –
A jury found Sioux Erosion Control guilty of having fixed prices for erosion control services, allocated contracts regionally and rigged bids on publicly funded road construction projects in Oklahoma (more than 100 million USD) from 2017 to 2023. Sentencing was still pending; the decision is not final.
Subcontractors in public road construction are also targeted by prosecutors.
Price-fixing and territorial agreements for subcontracted services in road construction
- Authority / court
- U.S. Department of Justice, Antitrust Division
- Area of law
- Competition law · Cartels and collusion
- Legal basis
- Section 1 Sherman Act
- Status of proceedings
- unknown
- Sector
- Construction and real estate
- Liability of senior managers
- Measures against individuals are not reported here.
- Published
- 20 Aug 2026
- U.S. Department of Justice, Pressemitteilung zu Sioux Erosion Control (Entscheidung 2026) Press release of an authority
Checked against the official source on 28 Sep 2026 · Version 4 · Direct link
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17 Aug 2026 Pluxee Česká republika a.s.; Edenred CZ s.r.o.; Up Česká republika s.r.o.Meal voucher cartel: 279 million CZK against Pluxee, Edenred and Up upheld with final effect €11.5m
From 2004 to 2018, the three issuers of paper meal vouchers coordinated with retail chains how many vouchers would be accepted per purchase. The President of the Úřad pro ochranu hospodářské soutěže (Czech Office for the Protection of Competition, ÚOHS) dismissed the appeals against the recalculation of the fines: Pluxee 132.271 million, Edenred 101.94 million and Up 44.941 million CZK, a total of 279.152 million CZK.
Coordinating seemingly technical conditions such as acceptance limits is also a cartel – industry discussions need clear boundaries.
Coordination of terms and conditions among competitors
- Authority / court
- Úřad pro ochranu hospodářské soutěže (ÚOHS)
- Area of law
- Competition law · Cartels and collusion
- Legal basis
- Tschechisches Wettbewerbsgesetz, Art. 101 AEUV
- Action
- Fine
- Status of proceedings
- final
- Sector
- Financial services and insurance
- Culpability
- intentional
- Published
- 17 Aug 2026
Original amount 279,152,000 CZK, converted at the ECB reference rate of 17 Aug 2026.
- Chairman of the Czech Competition Authority Definitively Confirms Fines for Meal Voucher Issuers’ Cartel Press release of an authority
Checked against the official source on 28 Sep 2026 · Version 2 · Direct link
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14 Aug 2026 Henkel AG & Co. KGaAHenkel/Liquid Nails: court blocks takeover of Loctite’s main competitor Order
Henkel wanted to buy the construction adhesive brand Liquid Nails for 725 million USD from the financial investor American Industrial Partners, thereby taking over the main competitor of its Loctite brand. After a seven-day trial, the federal court, on application by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), issued a permanent injunction against the acquisition.
Acquiring the closest competitor carries a high risk of prohibition, even at a moderate deal volume.
- Authority / court
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York (auf Antrag der FTC)
- Area of law
- Competition law · Merger control
- Legal basis
- Section 7 Clayton Act; Section 13(b) FTC Act (Permanent Injunction)
- Action
- Order
- Status of proceedings
- unknown
- Sector
- Chemicals and pharmaceuticals
- Employees
- 10,000 or more
- Published
- 17 Aug 2026
- Statement on FTC Win Blocking Loctite, Liquid Nails Construction Adhesive Merger (17.08.2026) Press release of an authority
Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link
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13 Aug 2026 „О-Рент“ ЕООД (sowie „Инжконсулт“ ЕООД und „Земекоп“ ЕООД)Construction machinery cartel: fine for O-Rent, compliance programme for all participants €2,403
The Комисия за защита на конкуренцията (Bulgarian Commission for the Protection of Competition, KZK) found a cartel in public tenders for mining and construction machinery (price fixing and market sharing, Art. 15 ZZK – Bulgarian Protection of Competition Act, Art. 101 TFEU). Inzhkonsult and Zemekop, as a single undertaking, were exempted from the fine; O-Rent received a sanction of 2,403.07 EUR. All three companies must introduce a competition law compliance programme within 60 days and report on it.
The authority now expressly requires compliance programmes – anyone bidding in tenders should have one before it is ordered.
Competition law in tenders; compliance programme
- Authority / court
- Комисия за защита на конкуренцията (КЗК, Bulgarische Wettbewerbskommission)
- Area of law
- Competition law · Cartels and collusion
- Legal basis
- Art. 15 Abs. 1 Nr. 1 und 2 ZZK; Art. 101 Abs. 1 lit. a und c AEUV
- Action
- Fine
- Status of proceedings
- unknown
- Sector
- Construction and real estate
- Mitigating circumstances
- Immunity from fines for two participants (leniency programme)
- Published
- 20 Aug 2026
- КЗК Публичен електронен регистър – Производство (Решение № 797 от 13.08.2026; Volltext als PDF im Register) Official register or notice
Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link
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13 Aug 2026 Apple Inc., Apple GmbHBundeskartellamt: Apple aligns tracking prompts for its own and third-party apps Order
The Bundeskartellamt (Federal Cartel Office) declared binding commitments by Apple on its App Tracking Transparency Framework (ATTF), closing its proceedings under Section 19a(2) of the German Competition Act (GWB) and Article 102 TFEU. According to the preliminary assessment, third-party apps had to obtain, for personalised advertising, an additional and more off-putting consent prompt prescribed by Apple, while Apple used a prompt of its own for its own services; in future the prompts will be aligned so that content, wording and design are neutral, and app providers will be able to combine the required prompts more easily.
Platform privacy rules must be equally strict for a company's own and third-party services, otherwise they become a competition problem themselves.
Equal treatment of own and third-party services in consent prompts
- Authority / court
- Bundeskartellamt
- Area of law
- Competition law · Abuse of market power
- Legal basis
- § 19a Abs. 2 GWB, Art. 102 AEUV (Verpflichtungszusagen, Az. B7-54/25)
- Action
- Order
- Status of proceedings
- unknown
- Sector
- Telecoms, IT and software
- Employees
- 10,000 or more
- Published
- 17 Aug 2026
- Bundeskartellamt: Apple ändert Regeln für personalisierte Werbung in Apps (17.08.2026) Press release of an authority
- Bundeskartellamt, Beschluss B7-54/25 vom 13.08.2026 (öffentliche Version) Decision of an authority
- Bundeskartellamt, Entscheidungsdatenbank: B7-54/25, Verpflichtungszusagen, Entscheidungsdatum 13.08.2026 Enforcement database of an authority
Checked against the official source on 2 Oct 2026 · Direct link
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7 Aug 2026 Hair-Line Kft.Hair-Line: 68.5 million HUF for price and territorial restrictions on hairdressing supplies €187,929
In 2018–2022, the distributor of professional hairdressing products (Alfaparf, Yellow) determined the prices at which its territorial representatives were allowed to sell to salons and retailers and restricted passive sales outside the territories. Under a settlement and with a commitment to a compliance programme, the Gazdasági Versenyhivatal (Hungarian Competition Authority, GVH) imposed 68.5 million HUF.
Commercial agent systems with territorial protection must not restrict resale prices or passive sales either.
Price and territorial restrictions in the distribution system
Missing or inadequate training played a role in the decision.
- Authority / court
- Gazdasági Versenyhivatal (GVH)
- Area of law
- Competition law · Cartels and collusion
- Legal basis
- Ungarisches Wettbewerbsgesetz, Verbot wettbewerbsbeschränkender Vereinbarungen
- Action
- Fine
- Status of proceedings
- unknown
- Sector
- Retail and e-commerce
- Culpability
- intentional
- Mitigating circumstances
- Cooperation, acknowledgement in the settlement and commitment to a comprehensive compliance programme.
- Published
- 7 Aug 2026
Original amount 68,500,000 HUF, converted at the ECB reference rate of 7 Aug 2026.
- Korlátozta a versenyt az egyik ismert hazai fodrászcikk forgalmazó, komoly GVH-bírság lett a vége Press release of an authority
Checked against the official source on 28 Sep 2026 · Version 2 · Direct link
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6 Aug 2026 AS Asphaltstraßensanierung GmbH, BITUNOVA GmbH, Kutter Spezialstraßenbau GmbH & Co. KG, Possehl Construction GmbH (inkl. VSI), Liesen…alles für den Bau GmbH, OAT GmbH/Otto Alte-Teigeler GmbHBundeskartellamt: 60.3 million EUR against DSK road repair cartel €60.3m
From around 2010 to September 2019, six suppliers of thin cold-laid asphalt surface layers (Dünne Asphaltdeckschichten in Kaltbauweise, DSK) allocated customers – primarily public contracting authorities – and contracts among themselves nationwide and coordinated prices. Germany's Federal Cartel Office (Bundeskartellamt) imposed fines of around 60.3 million EUR; all proceedings ended in settlements.
Anyone who "shares out" public contracts regionally risks fines running into millions – calculations and bids must always be prepared independently.
Customer allocation and bid rigging in public contracts
- Authority / court
- Bundeskartellamt
- Area of law
- Competition law · Cartels and collusion
- Legal basis
- § 1 GWB, Art. 101 AEUV
- Action
- Fine
- Status of proceedings
- final
- Sector
- Construction and real estate
- Mitigating circumstances
- Leniency bonus for Possehl/VSI, Bitunova, Kutter and AS; settlement
- Published
- 6 Aug 2026
- Bußgelder wegen Kartellabsprachen im Bereich Straßenreparatur mit DSK Press release of an authority
Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link
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6 Aug 2026 „Чили Хилс Фудс“ ООД (Chili Hills Foods OOD)Chili Hills Foods: 20,022 EUR for false copying allegations against competitor €20,022
From May 2024, in social media videos (campaign ‘Създавай! Не копирай!’), the company falsely accused a competing family business for hot chillies of having stolen its business, ideas and concept, and promoted the clips partly through paid advertising. The Комисия за защита на конкуренцията (Bulgarian Commission for the Protection of Competition, KZK) regarded this as unfair damage to reputation (Art. 30 ZZK – Bulgarian Protection of Competition Act), imposed 4% of 2025 net turnover (500,555 EUR), i.e. 20,022 EUR, and ordered immediate cessation. Appeals have been lodged against the decision.
Allegations against competitors on social media are only permissible if based on verifiable facts – paid reach aggravates the sanction.
Statements about competitors on social media
- Authority / court
- Комисия за защита на конкуренцията (КЗК, Bulgarische Wettbewerbskommission)
- Area of law
- Competition law
- Legal basis
- Art. 30 ZZK (Schädigung des guten Rufs eines Wettbewerbers)
- Action
- Fine
- Status of proceedings
- under appeal
- Sector
- Food and agriculture
- Published
- 19 Aug 2026
- КЗК Публичен електронен регистър – Производство (Решение № 743 от 06.08.2026; Volltext als PDF im Register) Official register or notice
Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link
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4 Aug 2026 AS "Latvijas valsts meži"7.86 million EUR against Latvijas valsts meži for breach of competitive neutrality €7.86m
From 2020 to April 2026, on the basis of old long-term logging contracts, the state forestry group supplied six wood processors with guaranteed quantities of roundwood outside public auctions, while all others could only buy through auctions. In its first decision on the competitive neutrality of public undertakings, the Konkurences padome (Latvian Competition Council) imposed 7,859,606.89 EUR and required equal sales conditions for all qualified bidders.
State-owned companies must allocate resources without discrimination – review historical special contracts regularly for competitive neutrality.
- Authority / court
- Konkurences padome (Lettischer Wettbewerbsrat)
- Area of law
- Competition law
- Legal basis
- Art. 14.1 Konkurences likums (Wettbewerbsneutralität)
- Action
- Fine
- Status of proceedings
- unknown
- Sector
- Public sector
- Published
- 13 Aug 2026
- Konkurences padome konstatē konkurences neitralitātes pārkāpumu AS „Latvijas valsts meži“ darbībā (13.08.2026) Press release of an authority
Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link
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21 Jul 2026 Maxxis International GmbH, Best4Tires Berlin GmbH, Reifen Müller GmbH & Co. KGBundeskartellamt: fines over resale price maintenance in tyre distribution (Maxxis/CST) Fine
Maxxis guaranteed wholesalers fixed margins per tyre sold of the Maxxis and CST brands, monitored prices in particular on the Tyre24 platform and intervened when prices were too low. Germany's Federal Cartel Office (Bundeskartellamt) imposed fines on Maxxis and two tyre wholesalers that had pushed for the margin guarantees; at the time of publication the decisions were not final (an objection to the Higher Regional Court of Düsseldorf was possible).
Margin guarantees and price controls vis-à-vis dealers constitute prohibited resale price maintenance – sales teams need clear rules for price discussions.
Influencing resale prices and price monitoring on platforms
- Authority / court
- Bundeskartellamt
- Area of law
- Competition law · Cartels and collusion
- Legal basis
- § 1 GWB (vertikale Preisbindung)
- Action
- Fine
- Status of proceedings
- unknown
- Sector
- Automotive
- Mitigating circumstances
- Settlement with Maxxis and Reifen Müller
- Published
- 21 Jul 2026
Checked against the official source on 28 Sep 2026 · Version 2 · Direct link
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15 Jul 2026 CalPlus GmbH, Elektronik-Kontor Messtechnik GmbH, TVW Meßtechnik GmbHBundeskartellamt: 453,000 EUR against distributors of test and measuring equipment €453,000
From 2016 to 2022, three distributors of test and measuring equipment coordinated discounts as essential price components and informed each other of customer contacts, usually with a request for "restraint". This was evidenced by more than 400 emails; the proceedings ended in settlements.
Small distributors are liable too: merely asking a competitor to "hold back" with a customer is a prohibited customer allocation agreement.
Email contacts with competitors about customers and discounts
- Authority / court
- Bundeskartellamt
- Area of law
- Competition law · Cartels and collusion
- Legal basis
- § 1 GWB
- Action
- Fine
- Status of proceedings
- final
- Sector
- Manufacturing and mechanical engineering
- Mitigating circumstances
- Settlement; cooperation by Elektronik-Kontor Messtechnik taken into account
- Published
- 15 Jul 2026
- Bundeskartellamt verhängt Bußgelder wegen Preisabsprachen beim Vertrieb von Prüf- und Messgeräten Press release of an authority
Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link
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8 Jul 2026 Meta Platforms Inc.; Meta Platforms Ireland LimitedMeta: interim orders on remuneration for press content (neighbouring rights) Order
At the request of the press association Alliance de la Presse d’Information Générale (APIG), the Autorité de la concurrence (French Competition Authority) imposed interim measures on Meta because its conduct in negotiations on remuneration for press publishers’ neighbouring rights could amount to an abuse of a dominant position. Meta must negotiate in good faith on remuneration for all Meta services from 1 February 2025, provide the information needed for the assessment within 15 days, must not degrade the display of press content during the negotiations and must report to the authority monthly. On the same day a similar decision (26-MC-02) was issued at the request of the collective management organisation DVP.
Dominant platforms must conduct remuneration negotiations transparently and give their negotiating partners the data that makes an objective assessment possible in the first place.
Abuse of market power in remuneration negotiations with content providers
- Authority / court
- Autorité de la concurrence
- Area of law
- Competition law · Abuse of market power
- Legal basis
- Art. L. 464-1 Code de commerce (mesures conservatoires); vorläufige Würdigung nach Art. L. 420-2 Code de commerce und Art. 102 AEUV; Art. L. 218-4 Code de la propriété intellectuelle
- Action
- Order
- Status of proceedings
- under appeal
- Sector
- Media and online platforms
- Employees
- 10,000 or more
- Published
- 8 Jul 2026
- Autorité de la concurrence, Décision 26-MC-01 du 8 juillet 2026 (Entscheidungsseite) Decision of an authority
- Autorité de la concurrence, Décision 26-MC-01 (Volltext, PDF) Decision of an authority
- Autorité de la concurrence, Communiqué de presse zu 26-MC-01 Press release of an authority
Checked against the official source on 2 Oct 2026 · Direct link
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1 Jul 2026 Datasonic Indústria e Distribuição de Eletrônicos Ltda., D.T.I. Comércio de Artigos de Informática Ltda., Pares Eletrônica Comercial e Industrial Eireli u. a. (10 Unternehmen)CADE: cartel fines on ten electronics suppliers, two later reduced €699,960
In cartel proceedings, the CADE Tribunal fined ten suppliers of electronic products, while the signatories of a 2014 leniency agreement (Agilent and Keysight) and one company that had fulfilled a settlement were not sanctioned. The fines on the companies initially totalled 8,362,138.05 BRL; in the virtual deliberation procedure the plenary, deciding on motions for clarification (embargos) on 17 August 2026, reduced of its own motion the fines on Datasonic (from 4,329,605.69 to 856,937.12 BRL) and D.T.I. (from 1,021,750.18 to 265,406.99 BRL), leaving 4,133,126.29 BRL. The session minutes do not identify the market concerned. The amount and the facts have not been confirmed against the primary source.
The first party to cooperate with the competition authority can escape sanctions, while the other participants pay.
Cartel risks in distribution and the benefits of leniency
- Authority / court
- Conselho Administrativo de Defesa Econômica (CADE), Tribunal Administrativo
- Area of law
- Competition law · Cartels and collusion
- Legal basis
- Lei nº 12.529/2011
- Action
- Fine
- Status of proceedings
- reduced
- Sector
- Manufacturing and mechanical engineering
- Liability of senior managers
- Measures against individuals are not set out here.
- Published
- 8 Jul 2026
Original amount 4,133,126.29 BRL, converted at the ECB reference rate of 1 Jul 2026.
- Diário Oficial da União, 08.07.2026, Seção 1, S. 132: Ata da 268ª Sessão Ordinária de Julgamento (01.07.2026), PA nº 08700.010050/2014-23 Official register or notice
- Diário Oficial da União, 24.08.2026, Seção 1, S. 55: Ata nº 30 (Circuito Deliberativo Virtual), Embargos im PA 08700.010050/2014-23, Abstimmungsende 17.08.2026 Official register or notice
Checked against the official source on 3 Oct 2026 · Direct link
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25 Jun 2026 Самостоятелна медико-диагностична лаборатория „Лина“ ЕООДLaboratory Lina lures customers with free blood tests – 52,097 EUR for unfair competition €52,097
On application by a competitor, the Комисия за защита на конкуренцията (Bulgarian Commission for the Protection of Competition, KZK) established that the laboratory had offered packages of medical laboratory tests free of charge nationwide over extended periods (only against a fee of 2 leva for taking blood) – conduct shown by no other market participant outside joint campaigns. It found an infringement of the general clause of unfair competition law (Art. 29 ZZK – Bulgarian Protection of Competition Act) and imposed 0.3% of 2024 turnover, i.e. 52,096.55 EUR. Appeals have been lodged against the decision.
Permanent free offers to win customers can be unfair if they deviate significantly from market practice and drive out competitors.
- Authority / court
- Комисия за защита на конкуренцията (КЗК, Bulgarische Wettbewerbskommission)
- Area of law
- Competition law
- Legal basis
- Art. 29 ZZK (Generalklausel unlauterer Wettbewerb)
- Action
- Fine
- Status of proceedings
- under appeal
- Sector
- Healthcare
- Published
- 2 Jul 2026
- КЗК Публичен електронен регистър – Производство (Решение № 591 от 25.06.2026; Volltext als PDF im Register) Official register or notice
Checked against the official source on 28 Sep 2026 · Version 2 · Direct link
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24 Jun 2026 Kaufland Hrvatska k.d.Croatia: 300,000 EUR against Kaufland for unfair practices towards suppliers €300,000
The Agencija za zaštitu tržišnog natjecanja (Croatian Competition Agency, AZTN) found that Kaufland Hrvatska charged food suppliers fees for services not provided and for advertising not commissioned, and paid for perishable goods only after more than 30 days. For these unfair trading practices, and with repeat offending as an aggravating factor (final penalty already in 2020), it imposed 300,000 EUR (date = publication).
Purchasing departments must know the payment deadlines and fee prohibitions of UTP law – repeat offences become significantly more expensive.
Fair terms towards suppliers in purchasing
- Authority / court
- Agencija za zaštitu tržišnog natjecanja (AZTN)
- Area of law
- Competition law · Abuse of market power
- Legal basis
- Art. 4, 11, 12 Zakon o zabrani nepoštenih trgovačkih praksi u lancu opskrbe hranom (ZNTP)
- Action
- Fine
- Status of proceedings
- unknown
- Sector
- Retail and e-commerce
- Repeat case
- yes
- Published
- 24 Jun 2026
- AZTN kaznio KAUFLAND HRVATSKA k.d., Zagreb s 300.000,00 eura zbog nametanja nepoštenih trgovačkih praksi Press release of an authority
Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link
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17 Jun 2026 Kangaroo Limited (Keeta)Keeta gives binding commitment to open up its restaurant contracts Order
On 17 June 2026 the Competition Commission (Hong Kong's competition authority) accepted a commitment from Kangaroo Limited, which operates the Keeta food delivery platform in Hong Kong and is a subsidiary of Meituan. The authority was concerned that clauses in Keeta's agreements with partner restaurants made access harder for new and small platforms and softened competition – a possible breach of the First Conduct Rule (the ban on anti-competitive agreements). Keeta had already amended the agreements voluntarily (cooperation with platforms of up to 10% market share without losing incentives, easier switching, no bar on lower prices on the restaurants' own channels and on rival platforms); with the acceptance, these changes are legally binding and enforceable by the authority until 28 December 2026.
Platforms should proactively align their exclusivity and price parity clauses with the standards the authority has already imposed on their competitors.
Exclusivity and price parity clauses of online platforms
- Authority / court
- Competition Commission (Hongkong)
- Area of law
- Competition law
- Legal basis
- Competition Ordinance (Cap. 619), s. 6 (First Conduct Rule); Annahme einer Verpflichtungszusage nach s. 60
- Action
- Order
- Status of proceedings
- final
- Sector
- Media and online platforms
- Published
- 17 Jun 2026
- Competition Commission: Competition Commission accepts commitment offered by Keeta (17.06.2026) Press release of an authority
- Competition Commission: Notice regarding the Commission's acceptance of a commitment from Keeta in the Online Food Delivery Platform case (EC/12LD), 17.06.2026 Decision of an authority
Checked against the official source on 3 Oct 2026 · Direct link
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15 Jun 2026 The South African Breweries (Pty) LtdMerger condition: SAB must recalculate employee share benefits for former staff Order
On 15 June 2026, on the basis of a settlement between the Competition Commission (competition authority), The South African Breweries (Pty) Ltd (SAB) and the trustees of the Zenzele employee share scheme, the Competition Tribunal (South Africa's competition adjudicator) ordered that allocations under the scheme be recalculated to include former SABMiller employees who had moved to the CCBSA group (Coca-Cola Beverages South Africa); the funds held back in trust since 2020 must allegedly be paid out within 30 days. The case concerned apparent non-compliance with a condition of the 2017 merger approval under which these employees were not to lose any scheme benefits because of the transaction. The Tribunal rejected objections raised on behalf of current employees.
Merger conditions – including those protecting employees – remain binding and may be enforced years later; implementing them needs clear ownership within the company.
Implementing merger conditions on employee share schemes
- Authority / court
- Competition Tribunal of South Africa (auf Antrag der Competition Commission)
- Area of law
- Competition law · Merger control
- Legal basis
- Competition Act 89 of 1998: Durchsetzung der Fusionsauflage 4.6 aus LM021Apr17 über Section 27(1)(d) i. V. m. Section 16(3); Antrag nach Section 49D i. V. m. Section 58(1)(b)
- Action
- Order
- Status of proceedings
- unknown
- Sector
- Food and agriculture
Checked against the official source on 4 Oct 2026 · Direct link
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10 Jun 2026 Denso CorporationCADE: 100.79 million BRL against Denso over international wire harness cartel €16.8m
The Tribunal of the Conselho Administrativo de Defesa Econômica (CADE, Brazilian competition authority) unanimously fined Denso Corporation 100,787,523.05 BRL for taking part in an international cartel in wire harnesses and electrical and electronic automotive components with effects in Brazil. According to the rapporteur’s vote, Denso took part in price fixing, the allocation of projects, geographic market sharing and the exchange of sensitive information roughly between 2000 and 2008. For other participants the proceedings ended through leniency, settlements or for lack of evidence; CADE dismissed Denso’s motion for clarification (embargos) in August 2026. The amount and the facts have not been confirmed against the primary source.
International cartels are prosecuted in Brazil even long after they ended if they affected prices there.
International cartels in the automotive supply chain
- Authority / court
- Conselho Administrativo de Defesa Econômica (CADE), Tribunal Administrativo
- Area of law
- Competition law · Cartels and collusion
- Legal basis
- Lei nº 12.529/2011 (Lei de Defesa da Concorrência)
- Action
- Fine
- Status of proceedings
- unknown
- Sector
- Automotive
- Employees
- 10,000 or more
- Published
- 10 Jun 2026
Original amount 100,787,523.05 BRL, converted at the ECB reference rate of 10 Jun 2026.
- Diário Oficial da União, 17.06.2026 – Ata da 267ª Sessão Ordinária de Julgamento do CADE (10.06.2026), Processo Administrativo nº 08700.009029/2015-66 Official register or notice
- CADE – Cade aplica mais de R$ 100 milhões em multa por cartel internacional no mercado de chicotes elétricos (10.06.2026) Press release of an authority
- Diário Oficial da União, 18.08.2026 – CADE Ata nº 29 (Circuito Deliberativo Virtual): Embargos de Declaração Denso zurückgewiesen Official register or notice
Checked against the official source on 3 Oct 2026 · Direct link
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9 Jun 2026 MetaMeta: interim measures to keep WhatsApp open to rival AI assistants free of charge Order
The European Commission ordered Meta to restore access for rival general-purpose AI assistants to the WhatsApp for Business interface on the terms in place before 15 October 2025, i.e. free of charge, and to maintain it until the final decision. The Commission found a prima facie abuse of a dominant position in consumer communication apps, because Meta had first excluded third-party assistants and later charged a fee with practically the same effect; the measures had to be implemented within five working days.
A company that has opened its dominant platform to third parties must not squeeze out competitors in the growing AI market through exclusion or prohibitive fees.
Refusal of platform access to AI competitors
- Authority / court
- Europäische Kommission
- Area of law
- Competition law · Abuse of market power
- Legal basis
- Art. 102 AEUV; Art. 54 EWR-Abkommen; Art. 8 Abs. 1 VO (EG) Nr. 1/2003
- Action
- Order
- Status of proceedings
- unknown
- Sector
- Media and online platforms
- Employees
- 10,000 or more
- Published
- 9 Jun 2026
- Commission imposes interim measures on Meta to preserve free access to WhatsApp for rival AI assistants (IP/26/1276) Press release of an authority
- Presscorner-Schnittstelle, Volltext IP/26/1276 Press release of an authority
Checked against the official source on 28 Sep 2026 · Direct link
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5 Jun 2026 Portugal: 8.18 million EUR against three companies over advertising in TV recordings €8.18m
With the support of a consultancy, the three largest pay-TV providers agreed from 2019 to May 2025 to introduce advertising as a condition for accessing recordings and to standardise the marketing of this advertising space. The Autoridade da Concorrência (Portuguese Competition Authority, AdC) imposed 8,181,000 EUR on three companies; together with the fourth participant, already sanctioned earlier under a settlement, the fines add up to 13,351,000 EUR. Owing to ongoing court proceedings, the AdC did not publish the names in its announcement.
Jointly coordinated ‘industry solutions’ at customers’ expense are cartels – even when a service provider takes on the coordination.
Coordinated product changes among competitors
- Authority / court
- Autoridade da Concorrência (AdC)
- Area of law
- Competition law · Cartels and collusion
- Legal basis
- Lei da Concorrência (Lei n.º 19/2012), Art. 9.º (Processo PRC/2020/4)
- Action
- Fine
- Status of proceedings
- unknown
- Sector
- Telecoms, IT and software
- Published
- 5 Jun 2026
Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link
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3 Jun 2026 VF Hellas Ενδυμάτων Ε.Π.Ε. (VF Hellas, Tochter der VF Corporation)Greece: 954,485 EUR against VF Hellas for banning price comparison and Google Ads €954,485
The importer and wholesaler of the Vans, Eastpak and The North Face brands contractually prohibited its retailers from using price comparison portals and search engine advertising (in particular Google Ads). The Επιτροπή Ανταγωνισμού (Hellenic Competition Commission) regarded this as a hardcore restriction in online sales and, in a settlement procedure (Decision 913/2026), set a reduced fine of 954,485 EUR; date = press release.
Prohibiting retailers from using price comparison sites or search engine advertising is a hardcore restriction – distribution agreements should regularly undergo competition law review.
Competition-law-compliant design of dealer agreements in online sales
- Authority / court
- Επιτροπή Ανταγωνισμού (Hellenic Competition Commission)
- Area of law
- Competition law · Cartels and collusion
- Legal basis
- Art. 1 Gesetz 3959/2011; Art. 101 AEUV; Art. 4 lit. e VO (EU) 2022/720
- Action
- Fine
- Status of proceedings
- unknown
- Sector
- Retail and e-commerce
- Mitigating circumstances
- Settlement procedure (Diettheti Diaforon) with fine reduction
- Published
- 3 Jun 2026
Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link
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2 Jun 2026 Ascension Health Alliance; AmSurg LLC / Ambulatory Topco LLCAscension/AmSurg: seven ambulatory surgery centres must be sold Order
The non-profit hospital group Ascension wanted to acquire AmSurg for 3.9 billion USD. Owing to overlaps in outpatient surgery in five regions, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) requires the sale of seven AmSurg centres to SC Affiliates and a gastroenterology practice, as well as transitional support.
Non-profit healthcare providers are also subject to merger control – regional market shares determine divestitures.
- Authority / court
- Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
- Area of law
- Competition law · Merger control
- Legal basis
- Section 7 Clayton Act; Section 5 FTC Act (Consent Order)
- Action
- Order
- Status of proceedings
- unknown
- Sector
- Healthcare
- Employees
- 10,000 or more
- FTC Requires Divestiture of Ambulatory Surgery Centers … Ascension Health-AmSurg Deal (02.06.2026) Press release of an authority
Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link
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28 May 2026 Timmerhuis Weg & Waterbouw B.V., Bouwhuis Aannemingsmaatschappij „Bouwmij“ B.V., Aannemingsmaatschappij Van Gelder B.V.ACM: cartel fines on construction firms for bid rigging in an Ommen tender €45,500
In September 2024 three construction companies coordinated their bid prices and decided the winner in a civil engineering tender of the municipality of Ommen, which was awarded for 153,250 EUR. Because of earlier cartel infringements by the companies or their legal predecessors established in 2005, the ACM (Autoriteit Consument & Markt, Dutch competition and consumer authority) increased the fines by 20%. In the simplified procedure it imposed allegedly 30,000 EUR on Timmerhuis and allegedly 15,500 EUR on Bouwhuis (45,500 EUR in total); Van Gelder, as first leniency applicant, was not fined.
Bids in procurement procedures must be prepared independently; even agreeing the winner of a small municipal contract is sanctioned.
Bid rigging in public tenders
- Authority / court
- Autoriteit Consument & Markt (ACM)
- Area of law
- Competition law · Cartels and collusion
- Legal basis
- Art. 6 Abs. 1 Mededingingswet
- Action
- Fine
- Status of proceedings
- unknown
- Sector
- Construction and real estate
- Repeat case
- yes
- Mitigating circumstances
- For cooperating in the simplified procedure, the ACM reduced the fines of Bouwhuis and Timmerhuis by 15%, and that of Timmerhuis by a further 5% for evidence provided voluntarily; Van Gelder, as first applicant, received full leniency immunity.
- Published
- 2 Jun 2026
- ACM – Boetebesluit vervalsing GWW-aanbesteding (Beslisdatum 28-05-2026) Decision of an authority
- ACM – Boetebesluit vervalsing GWW-aanbesteding gemeente Ommen Decision of an authority
- ACM – ACM legt kartelboetes op voor vervalsing GWW-aanbesteding (02-06-2026) Press release of an authority
Checked against the official source on 4 Oct 2026 · Direct link
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27 May 2026 Frigorífico Cason Ltda., ASM Comércio de Subprodutos de Origem Animal Ltda., ASM Comércio e Coleta de Ossos Ltda.CADE: buyer cartel for animal by-products in Rio Grande do Sul – BRL 6.4m €1.09m
The CADE Tribunal convicted three companies of a buyer cartel in the purchase of animal residues in Rio Grande do Sul: according to CADE, rendering plants and haulage companies divided collection points among themselves, exchanged sensitive information and obstructed competitors outside the arrangement. Frigorífico Cason received 5,937,915.73 BRL and the two ASM companies jointly 455,419.65 BRL (6,393,335.38 BRL in total); proceedings against several other parties were closed because settlements had been fulfilled or for lack of evidence. The amount and the facts have not been confirmed against the primary source.
Buyers, too, must not coordinate the allocation of suppliers or collection areas; buyer cartels are prohibited just like seller cartels.
Buyer cartels and allocation of supply or collection areas
- Authority / court
- Conselho Administrativo de Defesa Econômica (CADE), Tribunal Administrativo
- Area of law
- Competition law · Cartels and collusion
- Legal basis
- Lei nº 12.529/2011
- Action
- Fine
- Status of proceedings
- unknown
- Sector
- Food and agriculture
- Liability of senior managers
- Measures against individuals are not set out here.
- Published
- 29 May 2026
Original amount 6,393,335.38 BRL, converted at the ECB reference rate of 27 May 2026.
- Diário Oficial da União, 03.06.2026, Seção 1, S. 93: Ata da 266ª Sessão Ordinária de Julgamento (27.05.2026), PA nº 08700.004404/2016-62 Official register or notice
- CADE, 29.05.2026: Cade condena empresas e empresários por cartel no mercado de resíduos animais no Rio Grande do Sul Press release of an authority
Checked against the official source on 3 Oct 2026 · Direct link
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27 May 2026 Seed Bearing Fields (Pty) LtdFood supply tender: Seed Bearing Fields admits price fixing €528
On 27 May 2026 the Competition Tribunal (South Africa's competition adjudicator) confirmed a settlement in which Limpopo-based Seed Bearing Fields (Pty) Ltd admitted fixing prices with Mogodumo Bakone Holding (Pty) Ltd for a Limpopo Department of Health tender to supply perishable food. The directors of the two bidders are related; the companies shared an office and service providers and submitted strikingly similar bids. Seed Bearing Fields allegedly pays an administrative penalty of 10,044 ZAR and must attend competition law compliance training provided by the Competition Commission (competition authority).
Related companies bidding separately must not coordinate their prices – shared offices, service providers and similar documents make collusion easy to spot.
Related bidders in public tenders
Missing or inadequate training played a role in the decision.
- Authority / court
- Competition Tribunal of South Africa (auf Antrag der Competition Commission)
- Area of law
- Competition law · Cartels and collusion
- Legal basis
- Section 4(1)(b)(i) und (iii) Competition Act 89 of 1998
- Action
- Fine
- Status of proceedings
- final
- Sector
- Food and agriculture
Original amount 10,044 ZAR, converted at the ECB reference rate of 27 May 2026.
Checked against the official source on 4 Oct 2026 · Direct link
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22 May 2026 Parrish & Heimbecker, Limited; GrainsConnect Canada Operations Inc.Canada: grain elevator must be sold in the takeover of GrainsConnect Order
The planned acquisition of GrainsConnect by Parrish & Heimbecker would have reduced competition for the purchase of wheat from farmers around Reford (Saskatchewan). The Competition Bureau reached an agreement under which P&H must divest the grain elevator in Reford to an approved buyer and continue to operate it normally until then.
Merger control also has local effects: even a single site can trigger a divestiture requirement.
- Authority / court
- Competition Bureau Canada (Consent Agreement beim Competition Tribunal)
- Area of law
- Competition law · Merger control
- Legal basis
- Competition Act (Kanada), Fusionskontrolle
- Action
- Order
- Status of proceedings
- unknown
- Sector
- Food and agriculture
- Published
- 22 May 2026
- Competition Bureau reaches agreement to protect competition for grain farmers in Saskatchewan Press release of an authority
Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link
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20 May 2026 Sajo DongAOne, Daehan Flour Mills, CJ CheilJedang u. a. (7 Unternehmen)Flour cartel: record KRW 671bn fine on seven mills €384.3m
According to the KFTC (Korea Fair Trade Commission, Korea's competition authority), seven flour manufacturers with a combined 87.7% of the B2B market coordinated, on 24 occasions between November 2019 and October 2025, the timing and extent of price changes as well as supply volumes and supply rankings towards large buyers such as noodle and confectionery manufacturers, including while receiving government price stabilisation subsidies. In addition to a cease-and-desist order, the KFTC ordered an independent re-determination of prices and imposed fines totalling KRW 671,045 million, the highest amount in any cartel case to date: Sajo DongAOne KRW 183,097 million, Daehan Flour Mills KRW 179,273 million, CJ CheilJedang KRW 131,701 million, Samyang KRW 94,787 million, Daesun Flour Mills KRW 38,448 million, Hantop KRW 24,291 million, Samhwa Flour Mills KRW 19,448 million.
Anyone already sanctioned for a cartel must expect considerably harsher consequences if contacts with competitors resume.
Price and volume agreements with competitors
- Authority / court
- Korea Fair Trade Commission (KFTC)
- Area of law
- Competition law · Cartels and collusion
- Legal basis
- Art. 40 Abs. 1 Nr. 1 und Nr. 3 MRFTA (Monopoly Regulation and Fair Trade Act)
- Action
- Fine
- Status of proceedings
- unknown
- Sector
- Food and agriculture
- Repeat case
- yes
- Liability of senior managers
- Measures against individuals are not set out here.
- Published
- 20 May 2026
Original amount 671,045,000,000 KRW, converted at the ECB reference rate of 20 May 2026.
- KFTC press release (EN), 21 May 2026: Sanctions Imposed on Seven Flour Millers for Flour Price-Fixing Press release of an authority
- KFTC-Pressemitteilung (KO), 20.05.2026: 7개 제분사 밀가루 담합 적발·제재 Press release of an authority
- KFTC-Pressemitteilung (KO, PDF) mit Tabelle 5 (Geldbußen je Mühle) und Rechtsgrundlage Press release of an authority
Checked against the official source on 4 Oct 2026 · Direct link
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13 May 2026 Comércio de Combustíveis Stang Ltda., Pato Comércio de Combustíveis Ltda. u. a. (3 Unternehmen)CADE: fuel cartel in Coronel Vivida – fines cut to BRL 15.1m on embargos €2.63m
The CADE Tribunal convicted three petrol station companies because in 2017 they had divided the lots of municipal fuel tenders in Coronel Vivida (Paraná) among themselves in advance and had also coordinated retail pump prices. The fines on the companies initially totalled 43,953,905.42 BRL (Comércio de Combustíveis Stang 25,801,726.15; a further petrol station company 9,406,784.68; Pato Comércio de Combustíveis 8,745,394.59 BRL). On motions for clarification (embargos) the Tribunal reduced, on 1 July 2026, the fines on Stang to 4,615,849.76 BRL and on Pato to 1,090,682.28 BRL owing to a subsequently arising fact relevant to the calculation, leaving 15,113,316.72 BRL. The amount and the facts have not been confirmed against the primary source.
Dividing lots in public tenders is a cartel infringement carrying heavy fines, even in small municipal procurement.
Division of tender lots between competitors
- Authority / court
- Conselho Administrativo de Defesa Econômica (CADE), Tribunal Administrativo
- Area of law
- Competition law · Cartels and collusion
- Legal basis
- Lei nº 12.529/2011; Art. 38 VI (Handelsverbot für natürliche Personen)
- Action
- Fine
- Status of proceedings
- reduced
- Sector
- Energy and utilities
- Liability of senior managers
- Measures against individuals are not set out here.
- Published
- 13 May 2026
Original amount 15,113,316.72 BRL, converted at the ECB reference rate of 13 May 2026.
- Diário Oficial da União, 22.05.2026, Seção 1, S. 54: Ata da 265ª Sessão Ordinária de Julgamento (13.05.2026), PA nº 08700.002545/2023-70 Official register or notice
- Diário Oficial da União, 08.07.2026, Seção 1, S. 132: Ata da 268ª Sessão Ordinária de Julgamento (01.07.2026), Embargos – Herabsetzung Official register or notice
- CADE, 13.05.2026: Cade condena empresas e empresários por cartel de combustíveis em Coronel Vivida/PR Press release of an authority
Checked against the official source on 3 Oct 2026 · Direct link
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6 May 2026 HP TRONIC Zlín, spol. s r.o.HP TRONIC Zlín: 39 million CZK for price requirements imposed on electronics retailers €1.6m
For more than ten years from 2012, the distributor and retailer of consumer electronics and household appliances set minimum resale prices for its retail customers, monitored them and sanctioned deviations. The Úřad pro ochranu hospodářské soutěže (Czech Office for the Protection of Competition, ÚOHS) imposed 38.971 million CZK; a leniency application, settlement and an improved compliance programme reduced the fine, and the company appealed against the amount.
Reprimanding retailers over low prices risks high fines – an effective compliance programme can reduce them but is no substitute for ending the practice.
Resale price maintenance in sales
Missing or inadequate training played a role in the decision.
- Authority / court
- Úřad pro ochranu hospodářské soutěže (ÚOHS)
- Area of law
- Competition law · Cartels and collusion
- Legal basis
- Tschechisches Wettbewerbsgesetz, Art. 101 AEUV
- Action
- Fine
- Status of proceedings
- under appeal
- Sector
- Retail and e-commerce
- Culpability
- intentional
- Mitigating circumstances
- Leniency application, settlement and expansion of the internal compliance programme.
- Published
- 6 May 2026
Original amount 38,971,000 CZK, converted at the ECB reference rate of 6 May 2026.
- HP Tronic Faces Nearly CZK 40 Million Fine for Dictating Prices to Retailers Press release of an authority
Checked against the official source on 28 Sep 2026 · Version 2 · Direct link
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4 May 2026 Decora S.A., Bel-Pol sp. z o.o.Decora and Bel-Pol: PLN 33.6m for price and territory agreements on flooring accessories €7.9m
The manufacturer Decora and the wholesaler Bel-Pol had coordinated prices for vinyl panels, underlays, skirting boards and floor profiles from Decora's range and divided the wholesale market for these products. UOKiK imposed fines of PLN 28,344,000 on Decora and PLN 5,290,000 on Bel-Pol, PLN 33,634,000 in total. The decision is not final.
Vertical agreements on prices and territories in wholesale are hardcore restrictions.
Price and territory agreements between manufacturer and wholesaler
- Authority / court
- Prezes Urzędu Ochrony Konkurencji i Konsumentów (UOKiK)
- Area of law
- Competition law · Cartels and collusion
- Legal basis
- Art. 6 Abs. 1 Nr. 1 und 3 ustawa o ochronie konkurencji i konsumentów; Art. 101 Abs. 1 lit. a und c AEUV; Art. 106 Abs. 1 Nr. 1 und 2, Art. 113c und Art. 89a ustawa o ochronie konkurencji i konsumentów
- Action
- Fine
- Status of proceedings
- under appeal
- Sector
- Construction and real estate
- Mitigating circumstances
- As a leniency applicant, Bel-Pol received a 50% reduction of its fine and a further 10% for voluntarily accepting the fine (settlement).
- Liability of senior managers
- Measures against individuals are not reported here.
Original amount 33,634,000 PLN, converted at the ECB reference rate of 4 May 2026.
- UOKiK-Entscheidungsdatenbank: Decyzja DOK-2/2026 (Decora S.A., Bel-Pol sp. z o.o.) Enforcement database of an authority
- Decyzja nr DOK-2/2026 vom 04.05.2026 (öffentliche Fassung) Decision of an authority
Checked against the official source on 28 Sep 2026 · Direct link
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30 Apr 2026 „Вазовски машиностроителни заводи“ ЕАД (VMZ)Arms manufacturer VMZ used a partner’s know-how for disposable grenade launchers – 50,855 EUR €50,855
On application by a client, the Комисия за защита на конкуренцията (Bulgarian Commission for the Protection of Competition, KZK) found that VMZ had used technical documentation on disposable grenade launchers that had been provided in confidence (trade secret) contrary to the confidentiality agreements and good commercial practice (Art. 37(1) ZZK – Bulgarian Protection of Competition Act). Sanction of 50,855.09 EUR and obligation to cease, with immediate enforceability. Appeals have been lodged against the decision.
Design documents provided in confidence may only be used within the agreed scope – especially in sensitive industries.
Handling confidential know-how of business partners
- Authority / court
- Комисия за защита на конкуренцията (КЗК, Bulgarische Wettbewerbskommission)
- Area of law
- Competition law
- Legal basis
- Art. 37 Abs. 1 ZZK (Geschäftsgeheimnisse)
- Action
- Fine
- Status of proceedings
- under appeal
- Sector
- Defence and security
- КЗК Публичен електронен регистър – Производство (Решение № 389 от 30.04.2026; Volltext als PDF im Register) Official register or notice
Checked against the official source on 28 Sep 2026 · Version 2 · Direct link
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28 Apr 2026 Amica Chips S.p.A., Pata S.p.A., Preziosi Food S.p.A.Italy: 23.3 million EUR against Amica Chips, Pata and Preziosi Food over snack cartel €23.3m
In a secret, continuing agreement, three manufacturers of salty snacks and crisps divided up among themselves the supply of private-label snacks to food retailers. Fines: Amica Chips 8,239,210 EUR, Pata 7,555,387 EUR, Preziosi Food 7,503,550 EUR; this was the first time Italy's competition authority (Autorità Garante della Concorrenza e del Mercato, AGCM) applied its settlement procedure.
Retailers' tenders for private labels are competition – coordinated sham bids to retailers constitute a cartel.
Sham bids in retailers' private-label tenders
- Authority / court
- Autorità Garante della Concorrenza e del Mercato (AGCM)
- Area of law
- Competition law · Cartels and collusion
- Legal basis
- Art. 101 AEUV; Art. 14-quater Gesetz 287/1990 (Settlement)
- Action
- Fine
- Status of proceedings
- unknown
- Sector
- Food and agriculture
- Mitigating circumstances
- Leniency reduction for Pata and Amica Chips; 10 % settlement discount for all
- Published
- 28 Apr 2026
- I871 - The Italian Competition Authority fines Amica Chips, Pata and Preziosi Food over €23 million Press release of an authority
- AGCM - Sanzioni per oltre 23 milioni di euro ad Amica Chips, Pata e Preziosi Food Press release of an authority
Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link
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21 Apr 2026 Gwalimba Construction (Pty) LtdAlleged collusion on a government job: Gwalimba Construction allegedly pays ZAR 50,000 €2,596
On 21 April 2026 the Competition Tribunal (South Africa's competition adjudicator) confirmed a settlement with Gwalimba Construction (Pty) Ltd. Following a complaint by the Department of Home Affairs (home affairs ministry), the Competition Commission (competition authority) had found that Gwalimba and Superway Construction (Pty) Ltd agreed not to compete against each other on certain tenders – including a request for quotes for fire-compliance repair work at a government office in Pretoria. Without admitting liability, Gwalimba allegedly pays an administrative penalty of 50,000 ZAR, will cooperate in the case against Superway and will introduce a competition law compliance programme.
Even small construction firms must avoid any coordination with competitors when quoting to public bodies – authorities pursue such arrangements against small firms too.
Bid rigging in public procurement
- Authority / court
- Competition Tribunal of South Africa (auf Antrag der Competition Commission)
- Area of law
- Competition law · Cartels and collusion
- Legal basis
- Section 4(1)(b)(i), (ii) und (iii) Competition Act 89 of 1998
- Action
- Fine
- Status of proceedings
- final
- Sector
- Construction and real estate
- Repeat case
- no
- Mitigating circumstances
- According to the parties: cooperation with the authority, a small firm with no previous contraventions, and it did not win the contract.
- Published
- 23 Apr 2026
Original amount 50,000 ZAR, converted at the ECB reference rate of 21 Apr 2026.
- Competition Tribunal: Press Release: Tribunal confirms settlement of alleged collusion by Gwalimba Construction in public sector collusive tendering case (23.04.2026) Court press release
- Competition Tribunal, CO107Oct25, Order confirming consent agreement Competition Commission v Gwalimba Construction (Pty) Ltd, decided 21.04.2026 Court decision
- Competition Tribunal case file CO107Oct25 (Order date 2026-04-21; sections 4(1)(b)(i), (ii), (iii)) Official register or notice
Checked against the official source on 4 Oct 2026 · Direct link
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17 Apr 2026 Medirex s. r. o.; KLINICKÁ BIOCHÉMIA s.r.o.; Unilabs Slovensko, s. r. o.; synlab slovakia s. r. o.; Asociácia laboratóriíLaboratory cartel: 14.6 million EUR and procurement bans against diagnostic laboratories €14.6m
Four laboratories and their association coordinated negotiations on prices with health insurers, coordinated in tenders, exchanged sensitive information and allocated customers. At first instance, the Protimonopolný úrad Slovenskej republiky (Antimonopoly Office of the Slovak Republic, PMÚ SR) imposed 14,551,800 EUR and three-year procurement bans; Unilabs received a substantially reduced fine as leniency applicant and under a settlement.
Common negotiating positions towards payers via an association are a cartel – association meetings need minutes and a review of the agenda.
Information exchange among competitors and association work
- Authority / court
- Protimonopolný úrad Slovenskej republiky (PMÚ SR)
- Area of law
- Competition law · Cartels and collusion
- Legal basis
- Slowakisches Wettbewerbsschutzgesetz (Kartellverbot)
- Action
- Fine
- Status of proceedings
- unknown
- Sector
- Healthcare
- Culpability
- intentional
- Mitigating circumstances
- Unilabs: leniency reduction (50%) and settlement (a further 30%).
- Published
- 12 May 2026
- KARTELY: PMÚ odhalil kartel laboratórií a uložil pokuty takmer 15 miliónov eur Press release of an authority
Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link
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16 Apr 2026 Synadis Bio, Greenweez (mit Carrefour SA), ITM Entreprises (mit Les Mousquetaires), Les Comptoirs de la BioFrance: 12.67 million EUR over allocation of distribution channels for organic food €12.7m
Through the association Synadis Bio, market participants ensured for more than seven years that organic brands were not sold simultaneously in specialist organic shops and in conventional supermarkets, in order to prevent price comparisons (decision 26-D-05). Fines: Synadis Bio 10 million EUR, Greenweez/Carrefour 1.85 million EUR, ITM 740,000 EUR, Les Comptoirs de la Bio 80,000 EUR.
Association decisions that tie members to particular distribution channels amount to market sharing – even if they are justified as a quality or positioning policy.
Association rules to foreclose distribution channels
- Authority / court
- Autorité de la concurrence
- Area of law
- Competition law · Cartels and collusion
- Legal basis
- Art. L.420-1 Code de commerce, Art. 101 Abs. 1 AEUV; Bußgeldbemessung nach Art. L.464-2 Code de commerce
- Action
- Fine
- Status of proceedings
- under appeal
- Sector
- Food and agriculture
- Published
- 16 Apr 2026
- L'Autorité de la concurrence sanctionne à hauteur de 12,67 millions d'euros (Entscheidung 26-D-05) Press release of an authority
- Décision 26-D-05 (version publique) Decision of an authority
Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link
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2 Apr 2026 Nexans France, Nexans SA; Sonepar-Gruppe (Sonepar France Distribution u. a.)Nexans and Sonepar: EUR 6.5 million for exclusive import rights in overseas territories €6.5m
From 13 May 2015 to 20 November 2023, Nexans granted companies of the Sonepar group exclusive rights to import Nexans cables into La Réunion, Mayotte, French Guiana, Martinique and Guadeloupe, which Art. L. 420-2-1 of the Code de commerce (French Commercial Code) prohibits for the overseas territories. In a settlement procedure the Autorité de la concurrence (French Competition Authority) imposed EUR 3 million on Nexans France (jointly with Nexans SA) and EUR 3.5 million on the Sonepar companies involved, EUR 6.5 million in total. It is the authority’s first decision based on a report by a person with protected whistleblower status.
Exclusive import or distribution rights for the French overseas territories are prohibited in principle and should be reviewed before any contract is signed.
Exclusive distribution and import rights; whistleblowers as a source of detection
- Authority / court
- Autorité de la concurrence
- Area of law
- Competition law · Cartels and collusion
- Legal basis
- Art. L. 420-2-1 Code de commerce; Vergleichsverfahren nach Art. L. 464-2 III Code de commerce
- Action
- Fine
- Status of proceedings
- under appeal
- Sector
- Manufacturing and mechanical engineering
- Mitigating circumstances
- Settlement procedure (transaction): the companies did not contest the objections.
- Published
- 2 Apr 2026
- Autorité de la concurrence, Décision 26-D-04 du 2 avril 2026 (Entscheidungsseite) Decision of an authority
- Autorité de la concurrence, Décision 26-D-04 (Volltext, PDF) Decision of an authority
- Autorité de la concurrence, Communiqué de presse zu 26-D-04 Press release of an authority
Checked against the official source on 2 Oct 2026 · Direct link
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2 Apr 2026 Rickman Trade OÜ (mit Rickman Trade Latvijas filiāle), „EUGESTA“ SIA, SIA „Innocent PRO“Latvia: 512,100 EUR for resale price maintenance on JURA coffee machines €512,100
According to the decision of the Konkurences padome (Latvian Competition Council), the distributor Rickman Trade set the resale prices for JURA coffee machines for retailers, while EUGESTA and Innocent PRO monitored and maintained those prices at retail level in order to secure a uniform price level in Latvia. Fines: Rickman Trade OÜ with its Latvian branch 255,938.04 EUR, EUGESTA 232,636.20 EUR and Innocent PRO, after a 10 % settlement reduction, 23,525.93 EUR, totalling 512,100.17 EUR.
Suppliers and distributors may recommend resale prices but must neither impose them nor police compliance with them.
Prohibition of resale price maintenance in distribution
- Authority / court
- Konkurences padome (Lettischer Wettbewerbsrat)
- Area of law
- Competition law · Cartels and collusion
- Legal basis
- Art. 11 Abs. 1 Konkurences likums (Wettbewerbsgesetz)
- Action
- Fine
- Status of proceedings
- final
- Sector
- Retail and e-commerce
- Mitigating circumstances
- Innocent PRO received a 10 % reduction following a settlement offer.
- Published
- 7 May 2026
- KP lēmums Nr. 18, lieta KL/2.2-3.2/25/1 (Rickman Trade, EUGESTA, Innocent PRO), 02.04.2026 Decision of an authority
- Konkurences padomes lēmumi (Nr. 52, Statuss: Spēkā, pieņemts 02.04.2026, publicēts 07.05.2026) Enforcement database of an authority
Checked against the official source on 28 Sep 2026 · Direct link
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19 Mar 2026 Mavera ABMavera: SEK 14.3m for exclusivity clauses with insurance medical advisers €1.32m
The Konkurrensverket (Swedish Competition Authority) found that Mavera AB abuses its dominant position by applying, since 1 January 2021, exclusivity clauses in contracts with companies providing insurance medical advice that prohibit advising competing businesses. The authority imposed a competition damages fee (konkurrensskadeavgift) of 14,300,000 SEK and ordered the company to stop applying the clauses and to inform its contractual partners within six weeks; the order is backed by a conditional fine (vite) of 30,000,000 SEK. Mavera has appealed to the Patent- och marknadsdomstolen (Patent and Market Court). The decision is not final.
Exclusivity ties imposed by a dominant customer on service providers can keep competitors out of the market and carry high competition law risk.
Exclusivity clauses used by dominant companies
- Authority / court
- Konkurrensverket
- Area of law
- Competition law · Abuse of market power
- Legal basis
- 2 kap. 7 § konkurrenslagen (2008:579); Art. 102 AEUV; 3 kap. 1 § och 3 kap. 5 § första stycket 1 KL
- Action
- Fine
- Status of proceedings
- under appeal
- Sector
- Financial services and insurance
- Published
- 19 Mar 2026
Original amount 14,300,000 SEK, converted at the ECB reference rate of 19 Mar 2026.
- Konkurrensverket, Ärenden och beslut: Mavera AB, dnr 91/2023 Enforcement database of an authority
- Konkurrensverket, Beschluss vom 19.03.2026, Dnr 91/2023 – Mavera AB Decision of an authority
Checked against the official source on 28 Sep 2026 · Direct link
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18 Mar 2026 Míla hf.Iceland: Míla pays 200 million ISK for breaching merger conditions €1.39m
The telecoms infrastructure company Míla hf. admitted in a settlement with Samkeppniseftirlitið (Icelandic Competition Authority) that from October 2023 to December 2024 it had breached the conditions of the September 2022 settlement on its acquisition by Ardian: the frequency and scope of its contacts with Síminn were liable to weaken Síminn's incentive to buy wholesale services from Míla's competitors beyond its contractual purchase obligation. Míla pays a fine of 200,000,000 ISK and accepts additional conditions; at the same time, some conditions were limited, owing to changed market conditions, to areas where Míla has significant market power.
Merger conditions also apply to day-to-day sales contact; companies subject to them must check and document customer outreach and sales activities against the conditions.
Complying with merger conditions in day-to-day business, especially in contact with major customers
- Authority / court
- Samkeppniseftirlitið
- Area of law
- Competition law · Merger control
- Legal basis
- Verstoß gegen Fusionsauflagen (Art. 4 und 8 eines früheren Vergleichs); Vergleich nach Art. 17f Abs. 1 Samkeppnislög Nr. 44/2005 (isländisches Wettbewerbsgesetz)
- Action
- Fine
- Status of proceedings
- final
- Sector
- Telecoms, IT and software
- Published
- 19 Mar 2026
Original amount 200,000,000 ISK, converted at the ECB reference rate of 18 Mar 2026.
- Sátt Mílu hf. og Samkeppniseftirlitsins (Reykjavík, 18. mars 2026) Decision of an authority
- Samkeppniseftirlitið: Rannsókn á Mílu lokið með stjórnvaldssektum og endurskoðun á skilyrðum (19. mars 2026) Press release of an authority
Checked against the official source on 28 Sep 2026 · Direct link
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17 Mar 2026 Morellato S.p.A.AGCM fines Morellato €25.9m for online resale price maintenance and marketplace ban €25.9m
The AGCM found that, within its selective distribution system for jewellery and watches, Morellato set its retailers' online resale prices and prohibited them from using third-party marketplaces and intermediation platforms from 20 July 2018 to 23 December 2025; by way of retaliation, Morellato blocked orders (Art. 101(1) TFEU). The fine amounts to 25,895,043 EUR.
Manufacturers may not dictate retailers' online selling prices or impose blanket bans on platform sales, and using supply stops as leverage aggravates the infringement.
Resale price maintenance and platform bans in online distribution
- Authority / court
- Autorità Garante della Concorrenza e del Mercato (AGCM)
- Area of law
- Competition law · Cartels and collusion
- Legal basis
- Art. 101 Abs. 1 AEUV; Art. 15 Legge n. 287/1990
- Action
- Fine
- Status of proceedings
- unknown
- Sector
- Retail and e-commerce
- Mitigating circumstances
- Because treating the marketplace ban as a restriction of competition was novel, the AGCM calculated the fine solely on the basis of the online resale price maintenance.
- Published
- 31 Mar 2026
- AGCM, Provvedimento I876 (Adunanza 17.03.2026), provvedimento finale e sanzione Decision of an authority
- AGCM, Comunicato stampa 31.03.2026: I876 – Sanzione di oltre 25 milioni di euro a Morellato Press release of an authority
Checked against the official source on 28 Sep 2026 · Direct link
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17 Mar 2026 Syndicat National des Moniteurs du Ski Français (SNMSF)Ski instructors’ union SNMSF: EUR 3.4 million for exclusivity duty of ESF instructors €3.4m
From 12 May 2006 to 4 February 2025, the model agreement of France’s largest ski instructors’ union prohibited instructors of the Écoles du Ski Français from teaching for competing ski schools or their own clients and threatened exclusion for breaches; the Autorité de la concurrence (French Competition Authority) regarded this as a restriction of competition by object on the market for ski tuition. It imposed EUR 3.4 million, for the first time in an ordinary procedure calculated on the basis of the members’ turnover, and ordered the union to amend the rules, publish the decision and, if it cannot pay, call on its members for contributions.
Professional associations are also liable under competition law for statutes and model rules that forbid their members from working for competitors.
Anti-competitive rules in professional associations
- Authority / court
- Autorité de la concurrence
- Area of law
- Competition law · Cartels and collusion
- Legal basis
- Art. 101 Abs. 1 AEUV; Art. L. 420-1 Code de commerce; Bemessung nach Art. L. 464-2 Code de commerce (Umsetzung der ECN+-Richtlinie)
- Action
- Fine
- Status of proceedings
- under appeal
- Sector
- Other
- Published
- 17 Mar 2026
- Autorité de la concurrence, Décision 26-D-03 du 17 mars 2026 (Entscheidungsseite) Decision of an authority
- Autorité de la concurrence, Décision 26-D-03 (Volltext, PDF) Decision of an authority
- Autorité de la concurrence, Communiqué de presse zu 26-D-03 Press release of an authority
Checked against the official source on 2 Oct 2026 · Direct link
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12 Mar 2026 Associação Portuguesa das Empresas do Setor Privado de Emprego e de Recursos Humanos (APESPE)Portugal: 4.5 million EUR against temporary work association APESPE for no-poach rule €4.52m
From 1987 to March 2025, the association of temporary work agencies (around 40 members) obliged its members in its code of ethics not to poach each other’s temporary workers. The Autoridade da Concorrência (Portuguese Competition Authority, AdC) regarded this as an anticompetitive decision by an association in the labour market and imposed 4,519,000 EUR, calculated on the basis of the members’ turnover; the decision can be appealed (date = press release).
An association’s code of ethics can also be a cartel – no-poach agreements between competitors are off limits.
No-poach agreements in association rules
- Authority / court
- Autoridade da Concorrência (AdC)
- Area of law
- Competition law · Cartels and collusion
- Legal basis
- Lei da Concorrência (Lei n.º 19/2012), Art. 9.º
- Action
- Fine
- Status of proceedings
- unknown
- Sector
- Other
- Published
- 12 Mar 2026
Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link
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9 Mar 2026 Alderson Logistics Limited; Supa Shavings (2022) LimitedAlderson Logistics and Supa Shavings: 420,000 NZD for an anti-competitive acquisition without clearance €214,691
In May 2022, without seeking clearance, Alderson Logistics and its associated company Supa Shavings (2022) acquired the businesses of the two largest suppliers of bulk wood shavings used as bedding by chicken and goat farmers in the Waikato, which together held a market share of at least 70 to 80% and were each other's closest competitors. Following a settlement with the Commerce Commission (New Zealand's competition regulator), the High Court imposed an allegedly agreed penalty of 420,000 NZD jointly against both for breaching the prohibition on acquisitions in s 47 of the Commerce Act. It was the first time the Commission had also sought divestment where a breach was admitted; the divestment did not succeed.
Even without a mandatory filing regime, acquisitions between close competitors should be checked under competition law beforehand and notified for clearance where in doubt.
Competition law review of acquisitions without a filing obligation
- Authority / court
- High Court Auckland (Klage: Commerce Commission)
- Area of law
- Competition law · Merger control
- Legal basis
- Commerce Act 1986, s 47
- Action
- Fine
- Status of proceedings
- final
- Sector
- Food and agriculture
- Published
- 9 Mar 2026
Original amount 420,000 NZD, converted at the ECB reference rate of 9 Mar 2026.
- Commerce Commission: ComCom action sees companies penalised after acquisitions lessened competition (09.03.2026) Press release of an authority
- Commerce Commission, Case register: Alderson Logistics Limited, R.L.S. Transport Limited, ABS Carriers Limited, Supa Shavings Limited (PRJ0046977) Official register or notice
Checked against the official source on 3 Oct 2026 · Direct link
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6 Mar 2026 ΚΟΜΠΑ Μονοπρόσωπη Ε.Π.Ε. und HAPPY DOG Α.Ε. ΖωοτροφώνGreece: around 482,500 EUR against pet food importers for resale price maintenance €482,498
Two importers of dog and cat food monitored their retailers’ consumer prices on price comparison portals and asked them to adjust them to their price lists; the retailers complied. In a settlement procedure (Decision 901/2026), the Επιτροπή Ανταγωνισμού (Hellenic Competition Commission) imposed 387,498 EUR on KOMPA and 95,000 EUR on Happy Dog; the case began with a tip-off via the authority’s anonymous whistleblowing platform.
Recommended prices must not be enforced through monitoring and calls to retailers – and authorities’ whistleblowing channels make such practices visible.
Prohibition of resale price maintenance in sales
- Authority / court
- Επιτροπή Ανταγωνισμού (Hellenic Competition Commission)
- Area of law
- Competition law · Cartels and collusion
- Legal basis
- Art. 1 Gesetz 3959/2011; Art. 101 AEUV
- Action
- Fine
- Status of proceedings
- unknown
- Sector
- Retail and e-commerce
- Mitigating circumstances
- Settlement procedure with reduced fines
- Published
- 6 Mar 2026
- Δελτίο Τύπου – Πρόστιμα σε επιχειρήσεις προμήθειας ζωοτροφών για ζώα συντροφιάς Press release of an authority
Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link
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5 Mar 2026 SIA "SS"Classifieds portal ss.lv blocked users of competitor – fine of 186,781 EUR €186,781
From March 2020 to May 2021, the operator of ss.lv/ss.com (market share over 60%) deleted advertisements and blocked accounts of users – mainly car dealers and estate agents – who also advertised on the competing platform pp.lv; anyone wishing to register with an inbox.lv address additionally had to provide a different e-mail address. The Konkurences padome (Latvian Competition Council) considered this an abuse of a dominant position (Art. 102 TFEU), imposed 186,780.65 EUR and required objective criteria for dealing with customers.
Market-leading platforms must not punish users for multi-homing – internal moderation rules need objective criteria.
Competition law limits in dealing with competitors’ customers
- Authority / court
- Konkurences padome (Lettischer Wettbewerbsrat)
- Area of law
- Competition law · Abuse of market power
- Legal basis
- Art. 102 AEUV
- Action
- Fine
- Status of proceedings
- unknown
- Sector
- Media and online platforms
- Published
- 18 Mar 2026
- KP konstatē SIA „SS“ dominējoša stāvokļa ļaunprātīgu izmantošanu … naudas sodu 186 780,65 EUR (18.03.2026) Press release of an authority
Checked against the official source on 25 Sep 2026 · Direct link
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4 Mar 2026 Aramex New Zealand Holdings LimitedAramex: 700,000 NZD for customer allocation in a reseller agreement €355,800
In 2021 the courier company concluded an agreement with a competitor acting as reseller that allocated customers and fixed prices, and gave effect to the non-compete clause on one occasion; the wording had been copied from an older Fastway template. In civil proceedings brought by the Commerce Commission (ComCom, New Zealand's competition authority), the High Court on 4 March 2026 approved the jointly proposed penalty, allegedly of 700,000 NZD (starting point 1 million NZD, 30% reduction).
Contract templates should be reviewed regularly for competition law risks before they are copied for new partners.
Competition law review of contract templates
- Authority / court
- High Court Auckland (Klage: Commerce Commission)
- Area of law
- Competition law · Cartels and collusion
- Legal basis
- Commerce Act 1986, s 30
- Action
- Fine
- Status of proceedings
- final
- Sector
- Transport, logistics and shipping
- Culpability
- negligent
- Repeat case
- no
- Mitigating circumstances
- No previous warnings or contraventions, voluntary provision of documents and interviews, early admission and remorse, new agreements without the clause and a new competition law compliance programme in New Zealand and Australia.
- Liability of senior managers
- The agreement was prepared from a template by the national sales manager; a more senior employee signed it without reviewing its content.
- Published
- 4 Mar 2026
Original amount 700,000 NZD, converted at the ECB reference rate of 4 Mar 2026.
- Commerce Commission v Aramex New Zealand Holdings Limited [2026] NZHC 444, Judgment 4 March 2026 Court decision
- Commerce Commission: Couriers ordered to pay $1.225 million after investigation into cartel conduct (04.03.2026) Press release of an authority
- Commerce Commission, Case register: Aramex New Zealand Holdings Limited (PRJ0045982) Official register or notice
Checked against the official source on 3 Oct 2026 · Direct link
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3 Mar 2026 Killer GmbH & Co KG, Killer GmbHWaste cartel: €278,000 fine on waste firm Killer despite leniency status €278,000
The Kartellgericht (Cartel Court) fined Killer GmbH & Co KG and Killer GmbH allegedly 278,000 EUR for taking part in the nationwide waste management cartel from July 2002 to March 2021, mainly in Lower and Upper Austria and occasionally in Tyrol. The participants fixed prices, shared territories and customers and exchanged competitively sensitive information, including in tenders for waste collection. The fine was reduced because of leniency status and the consensual termination of the proceedings.
A leniency application made only after a dawn raid can reduce a fine but will not necessarily waive it; companies should investigate suspicions internally at an early stage.
Territorial and customer allocation in regional markets
- Authority / court
- Oberlandesgericht Wien als Kartellgericht (Antrag der Bundeswettbewerbsbehörde)
- Area of law
- Competition law · Cartels and collusion
- Legal basis
- § 1 Abs. 1 KartG und Art. 101 Abs. 1 AEUV; § 29 Abs. 1 Z 1 lit. a und d KartG
- Action
- Fine
- Status of proceedings
- final
- Sector
- Energy and utilities
- Repeat case
- no
- Mitigating circumstances
- Reduction for cooperation under the leniency programme and the consensual termination of the proceedings.
- Published
- 15 Sep 2026
Checked against the official source on 4 Oct 2026 · Direct link
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18 Feb 2026 Wilmar SA (Pty) LtdEdible oils case: Wilmar SA allegedly pays ZAR 1m and commits to public-interest measures €52,689
On 18 February 2026 the Competition Tribunal (South Africa's competition adjudicator) confirmed a settlement between the Competition Commission (competition authority) and Wilmar SA (Pty) Ltd (formerly Wilmar Continental Edible Oils and Fats) in proceedings running since 2016 over alleged price fixing and – added later – market division in edible oils, baking fats and margarine. Without admitting a contravention, Wilmar allegedly pays 1,000,000 ZAR and commits to public-interest measures worth 49.5 million ZAR over five years, including bursaries, school infrastructure including eradicating pit latrines, and a fund for small businesses; it also undertakes a compliance programme and investment commitments.
Settlements with South Africa's competition authority can include public-interest commitments many times larger than the payment itself – this belongs in any risk assessment.
Price fixing in the food industry
- Authority / court
- Competition Tribunal of South Africa (auf Antrag der Competition Commission)
- Area of law
- Competition law · Cartels and collusion
- Legal basis
- Section 4(1)(b)(i) und/oder (ii) Competition Act 89 of 1998 (Vorwurf, ohne Anerkenntnis)
- Action
- Fine
- Status of proceedings
- final
- Sector
- Food and agriculture
- Published
- 18 Feb 2026
Original amount 1,000,000 ZAR, converted at the ECB reference rate of 18 Feb 2026.
- Competition Tribunal: Competition Tribunal confirms settlement in edible oils alleged price-fixing matter (18.02.2026) Court press release
- Competition Commission: The Commission welcomes Tribunal confirmation of the settlement agreement concluded with Wilmar SA (Pty) Ltd (24.02.2026) Press release of an authority
Checked against the official source on 4 Oct 2026 · Direct link