DISINFECTANT PRODUCTS
PRESS RELEASE
PRESS RELEASE
FINES TOTALLING €3.7M FOR ANTI-COMPETITIVE CONDUCT LEVIED BY ANTITRUST AUTHORITY ON NINE SUPPLIERS OF ANTISEPTICS AND DISINFECTANTS TO THE PUBLIC HEALTH SYSTEM
The Italian Competition Authority, at its meeting on 26 April 2006, decided to conclude the inquiry regarding various companies operating in the antiseptics and disinfectants sector; the inquiry was based on a complaint from the Guardia di Finanza (Customs and Excise Police) and resulted in fines totalling 3.7 million euros.
The Authority ascertained the existence of an arrangement lasting from 1998 until 2001, whose goal was to share out the Italian market for the supply of antiseptic and disinfectant products to the public health system in violation of Article 81 Paragraph 1 of the EC Treaty.
The inquiry revealed that printouts were produced and discussed in meetings among the companies, with the aim of market sharing based on generally maintaining the clientele served in the past, as well as dividing up new customers in proportion to market presence.
Furthermore, the companies' market monitoring activities included preparing charts of target prices for use in tendering.
Because this was an across-the-board market-sharing and price-fixing arrangement, the Authority judged it a very serious violation.
The companies involved were Astrazeneca S.p.A., Bergamon S.r.l., B. Braun Milano S.p.A., Esoform S.p.A., Farmec S.r.l., Nuova Farmec S.r.l., Germo S.p.A., IMS S.r.l., Meda Pharma S.p.A., P Farmaceutici S.p.A. and Sanitas S.r.l. In the cases of Bergamon and Germo, the Authority noted that the statute of limitations applied.
The Authority decided on fines totalling approximately 3.7 million euros, as follows:
· Farmec S.r.l.: € 500,000
· Nuova Farmec S.r.l.: € 150,000
· AstraZeneca S.p.A.: € 975,000
· Braun S.p.A.: € 780,000
· Esoform S.p.A.: € 390,000
· IMS S.r.l.: € 390,000
· P Farmaceutici S.p.A.: €185,000
· Meda Pharma S.p.A.: € 225,000
· Sanitas S.r.l.: € 65,000
Rome, 29 May 2006