INTERNATIONAL LOGISTIC
PRESS RELEASE
PRESS RELEASE
FREIGHT TRANSPORT: ANTITRUST AUTHORITY LAUNCHES INVESTIGATION INTO POSSIBLE AGREEMENTS RESTRICTING COMPETITION INVOLVING THE FEDESPEDI TRADE ASSOCIATION AND 20 TRUCKING COMPANIES THAT HAUL FREIGHT TO OR FROM ITALY
The proceedings shall determine whether these operators collaborated to fix the size and form of price increases applied to their customers
On November 18th, 2009, the Autorità Garante della Concorrenza e del Mercato decided to launch an investigation to determine whether agreements restricting competition were created by the Fedespedi trade association in collaboration with 20 trucking companies that haul freight to or from Italy. In terms of total turnover and international size, the most noteworthy of the 20 trucking companies are DHL Global Forwarding Agility Logistics, Saima Avandero and Schenker Italiana. During meetings of the Fedespedi association, which represents about 2,200 freight shippers in Italy, this group shared information on the incidence of price increases (e.g., fuel costs, highway tolls and administrative fees) and agreed on the size and form of price increases to apply to their customers.
Subsequent to the meetings, furthermore, Fedespedi helped these companies put the agreed price increases into application through press releases and memorandums addressed to associated members and companies.
According to the Antitrust Authority, the available information suggests that the following companies engaged in reciprocal exchanges of sensitive information in order to coordinate commercial strategies at least between the end of 2002 and September 2007: Agility, Albini & Pitigliani, Brigl, Cargo Nord, Dhl, Ferrari, Francesco Parisi, Gefco, Geodis, I-Dika, Italmondo, Italsempione, Itk, ITX Cargo, Rhenus, Saima, Schenker, Sittam, Transervice and Villanova, which represent the primary operators in this market. The commercial conducts of these companies were coordinated through numerous, regular meetings and the organizational support of the Fedespedi trade association.
Rome - November 26th, 2009