OKI Europe fined for price fixing
October 2, 2024
Romanian Competition Council imposes a 3.35m lei penalty on OKI Europe.
OKI Europe Limited, based in Egham, Surrey, UK, has been fined 3.35 million lei (€672,000 / $710,000) by the Romanian Competition Council for engaging in anti-competitive practices between October 2015 and March 2020. The investigation revealed that OKI Europe, in collaboration with its Romanian distributor General Systems S.R.L., limited exports and fixed resale prices to control market dynamics and maximize profits.
General Systems S.R.L., a prominent distributor of office equipment and IT solutions in Romania, played a crucial role in executing the strategy. Together with OKI Europe, they set differentiated resale prices for printers and multifunctional devices, adjusting them by region to secure higher profits. By restricting exports, they ensured these prices were maintained across the national market.
Despite its involvement in the price-fixing scheme, General Systems S.R.L. was granted immunity under the Romanian leniency program, which allows companies to avoid fines if they disclose anti-competitive practices to authorities and fully cooperate during investigations.
Romanian competition law, particularly Law no. 21/1996, prohibits agreements or coordinated practices that distort market competition. Companies violating these rules can face fines of up to 10% of their annual turnover. The decision reinforcing Romanian Competition Council’s focus on promoting transparency and competitive markets.
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