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| E.U. Imposes Record Fine on Truck Makers for Price-Fixing | E.U. Imposes Record Fine on Truck Makers for Price-Fixing |
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| BRUSSELS — The European Union’s antitrust chief imposed a record fine of 2.9 billion euros, or $3.2 billion, on a group of truck makers on Tuesday, part of a trend toward steeper penalties for competition violations in the 28-nation bloc. | BRUSSELS — The European Union’s antitrust chief imposed a record fine of 2.9 billion euros, or $3.2 billion, on a group of truck makers on Tuesday, part of a trend toward steeper penalties for competition violations in the 28-nation bloc. |
| The fine, for price-fixing and operating a secretive system aimed at delaying the installation of pollution-curbing technology, came less than a week after the European Commission, the bloc’s executive arm, announced a new round of antitrust charges against Google, on suspicion that some of the company’s advertising products had restricted consumer choice. | The fine, for price-fixing and operating a secretive system aimed at delaying the installation of pollution-curbing technology, came less than a week after the European Commission, the bloc’s executive arm, announced a new round of antitrust charges against Google, on suspicion that some of the company’s advertising products had restricted consumer choice. |
| “We have, today, put down a marker by imposing record fines for a serious infringement,” Margrethe Vestager, the European Union’s competition commissioner, said in a statement. “For 14 years, they colluded on the pricing and on passing on the costs for meeting environmental standards to customers. This is also a clear message to companies that cartels are not accepted.” | “We have, today, put down a marker by imposing record fines for a serious infringement,” Margrethe Vestager, the European Union’s competition commissioner, said in a statement. “For 14 years, they colluded on the pricing and on passing on the costs for meeting environmental standards to customers. This is also a clear message to companies that cartels are not accepted.” |
| The announcement brings more bad news for Volkswagen, which has been embroiled in a diesel emissions scandal that began in the United States, and which recently set aside $14.7 billion to compensate customers there for having installed software that made its vehicles seem less polluting than they were. | The announcement brings more bad news for Volkswagen, which has been embroiled in a diesel emissions scandal that began in the United States, and which recently set aside $14.7 billion to compensate customers there for having installed software that made its vehicles seem less polluting than they were. |
| Among the companies cited in the statement for having broken antitrust rules is the truck maker MAN, which is owned by Volkswagen. MAN is not among the companies being fined, however, as it revealed the existence of a cartel. | Among the companies cited in the statement for having broken antitrust rules is the truck maker MAN, which is owned by Volkswagen. MAN is not among the companies being fined, however, as it revealed the existence of a cartel. |
| In the statement, the commission said it did not find any links between the cartel and so-called defeat devices installed by Volkswagen in passenger cars. | In the statement, the commission said it did not find any links between the cartel and so-called defeat devices installed by Volkswagen in passenger cars. |
| The truck makers being fined are DAF, Daimler, Iveco and Volvo-Renault. Daimler faces the largest single fine, and it must pay slightly more than €1 billion, also a record. | The truck makers being fined are DAF, Daimler, Iveco and Volvo-Renault. Daimler faces the largest single fine, and it must pay slightly more than €1 billion, also a record. |
| Together, the five companies account for about nine in 10 medium and heavy trucks produced in Europe, the commission said. | Together, the five companies account for about nine in 10 medium and heavy trucks produced in Europe, the commission said. |
| The European Commission can impose fines of up to 10 percent of a company’s global worldwide sales for breaking European Union competition laws. The companies have the right to appeal, seeking to overturn or lower the fines, at the Court of Justice of the European Union in Luxembourg. | The European Commission can impose fines of up to 10 percent of a company’s global worldwide sales for breaking European Union competition laws. The companies have the right to appeal, seeking to overturn or lower the fines, at the Court of Justice of the European Union in Luxembourg. |
| In a statement after the announcement of the fines, Daimler said it “regrets these occurrences and took appropriate action some time ago.” It said the fine was part of a settlement with the commission and added that the company had “strengthened its internal controls.” | In a statement after the announcement of the fines, Daimler said it “regrets these occurrences and took appropriate action some time ago.” It said the fine was part of a settlement with the commission and added that the company had “strengthened its internal controls.” |
| The previous record penalty imposed on a group of companies by the commission was in 2012, when television and computer screen makers like Philips and LG Electronics were fined nearly €1.5 billion for fixing prices. That fine was later reduced by the courts to €1.4 billion, but it still represented a record at the time. |