FIAVET EMILIA-ROMAGNA-MARCHE-BLUVACANZE-FIAVET LOMBARDIA
PRESS RELEASE
PRESS RELEASE
THE AUTHORITY HAS COMMENCED INVESTIGATIONS INTO FIAVET EMILIA ROMAGNA-MARCHE FOR AN ALLEGED ANTI-COMPETITIVE AGREEMENT
At its meeting on 30 July 2003 the Competition Authority resolved to commence an investigation into Fiavet Emilia Romagna-Marche, to ascertain whether it has concluded an anti-competitive agreement.
Fiavet Emilia Romagna-Marche is a regional association of companies working in the travel and tourism industry and belongs to the national association, Fiavet - Federazione Italiana delle Associazioni delle Imprese di Viaggi e Turismo.
The investigation began following a complaint from Fiavet Lombardia, a member of the national federation, and Bluvacanze, a Milan-based network of travel and tourism agents, alleging that Fiavet Emilia Romagna-Marche had adopted a set of fixed tariffs for agency fees and a code of conduct binding the affiliated operators to charge the same fees, and sell their services on specific predetermined price conditions, and offering specifically defined discounts.
The Authority considered that fee-setting, and the steps taken to ensure that the members would adopt them, and the drafting of a code of conduct governing the conditions under which the agency services are sold, was designed to guarantee uniformity of conduct by the membership on the market regarding one of the principal variables that determines competition between companies, namely, selling prices.
The Authority's investigation is therefore intended to see whether the decisions adopted by Fiavet Emilia Romagna-Marche, as an association of companies, constitute an anti-competitive agreement in violation of Section 2 of the Competition Act.
The investigation will be completed by 31 October 2004.
Rome, 13 August 2003