€ 10 million fine imposed on Moravia Steel in rail cartel case
11.07.2013
Today the Bundeskartellamt imposed a fine of € 10 million on Moravia Steel Deutschland GmbH. The authority has thus concluded its investigation proceedings against manufacturers and suppliers of rails on account of anticompetitive agreements to the detriment of Deutsche Bahn AG. Last year the Bundeskartellamt already imposed fines on ThyssenKrupp, voestalpine and Stahlberg Roensch, which has been part of the Vossloh group since 2010 (see Bundeskartellamt press release of 05.07.2012). The fines imposed in these proceedings now amount to € 134.5 million. The proceedings were triggered by an application for leniency by the Austrian company voestalpine AG.
Andreas Mundt, President of the Bundeskartellamt: "With today's decision we have concluded the first part of the proceedings against the rail cartel. For many years the companies had colluded in the submission of bids for the supply of rails to Deutsche Bahn and thus kept prices at an artificially high level. We are still investigating agreements on the supply of rails, switches and sleepers to the detriment of local public transport companies, private, regional and industrial railway companies and construction companies. These proceedings will also be concluded shortly."
The fine imposed today punishes a price and quota agreement in the "normal rails" product market practised during the period 2001-2009.
A settlement agreement was reached with Moravia Steel. The fine imposed is not yet final. The decision can be appealed to the Düsseldorf Higher Regional Court. However, the fines imposed in July 2012 have become final. 