By its ruling today, the Finnish Market Court imposed a total penalty of EUR 43,000 on Asunto-Väylä Oy and CSC-Consulting Service Centre Oy for illegal cooperation in the bidding processes concerning the sale of properties and residential flats organised by Lapland Hospital District and the Town of Rovaniemi in 2006 and 2009. The Market Court decision is based on a proposal submitted by the Finnish Competition Authority.
The penalty amounts imposed by the Finnish Market Court was, among others factors, influenced by the fact that the companies guilty of the offence had relatively low turnovers. The Market Court rejected the proposal by the Finnish Competition and Consumer Authority to the extent that the Authority had also proposed imposing a penalty on Hansatalot Oy.
Cartels violate the interests of customers and consumers and sabotage the performance of national economy
A cartel is an illegal agreement or arrangement whereby parties submitting tenders for selling or buying goods or providing a service work together during the bidding process in order to increase their profits. An attempt is made to keep the cartel agreement secret, while the customer presumes that the companies are competing against each other in the usual way.
Preventing and uncovering secret cartels between competitors both improves the performance of the national economy and ensures better value for money for the companies’ customers and consumers. Cartels restrict the production of goods and services and reduce the number of alternatives available for the customers. They also push up prices paid for commodities compared to price levels subject to competition.
Further information:
Head of Research Sanna Syrjälä, tel. +358 29 505 3385