Around
600,000 hauliers overpaid for
their lorries, due to price-fixing agreements between lorry manufacturers DAF, Volvo/Renault, Daimler, Iveco and
MAN had entered into with one another. The first twelve haulage firms have now taken their case to the Irish courts to claim a refund.
One
of the twelve companies is the Irish firm Lenaghan International Transport. The company is alleged to have
have overpaid for a DAF lorry in 2005. It is unclear what the companies are claiming. Not only DAF, but also the other manufacturers are reportedly being sued in this case.
Cartel formation
DAF,
Volvo/Renault, Daimler, Iveco and MAN entered into price-fixing agreements
and agreements on the introduction of new, cleaner technologies. This
took place at trade fairs and over the telephone. From 2004 onwards, information
was also exchanged digitally, and the companies communicated via a number of German
subsidiaries. The cartel only came to light years later. In
2011, the European Commission raided the offices of the participating
companies. Official statements of objections followed in 2014. The manufacturers
must pay a fine of 2.93 billion euros. The European Commission aims, through
the size of the fine to send a clear signal that cartel formation in Europe
is unacceptable. MAN, part of Volkswagen, will not be fined
because it blew the whistle to the European Commission.
TLN wants compensation for duped entrepreneurs
If it is up to Transport en Logistiek Nederland (TLN), there will soon be compensation for transport entrepreneurs who have been the victims of cartelisation by manufacturers. The business association wants the manufacturers involved to get round the table with the industry for a proper settlement and damage settlement.
Editorial LogistiekProfs
