ASSOCIAZIONE NAZIONALE ESERCENTI CINEMATOGRAFICI LOMBARDA (Start of full phase investigation)
PRESS RELEASE
The Antitrust Authority has begun investigating the cinema operators in Milan and Anec Lombarda, the association which represents them, in order to ascertain whether there has been an infringement of Section 2 of the Antitrust Act which bans agreements that restricts competition. On the Milan cinema market there are 32 cinemas, with a total of 54 screens.
This proceeding was instituted in response to a complaint by a consumers' association. In its complaint, the association submitted to the Authority the text of a press release issued by Anec Lombarda announcing the agreement concluded between the Milanese cinema owners to set standard cinema box office ticket prices.
By setting standard prices, the cinema owners, who are supposed to be competitors, would appear to have committed an even more serious offence because the agreement not only relates to the basic box office prices but also the whole structure of the special prices available for different days of the week and for the various performances programmed during the course of a single day.
The investigation will be completed by 13 December 1998.
Rome, 3 July 1998