French authorities fine parcel delivery firms for antitrust breaches
France’s competition authority, l’Autorité de la Concurrence, has fined 20 courier companies a combined €672m for antitrust breaches. The companies met to discuss and agree price increases imposed on customers between September 2004 and September 2010, according to the France’s competition authority.
Geodis, which is owned by French state-owned railway operator SNCF, received the heaviest fine: €196m.
Chronopost and DPD France, which are both owned by La Poste, received fines of €99m and €45m respectively.
DHL Express France was fined €81m fine, and TNT Express France €58m.
Royal Mail was fined €55.1m for breaches at its European parcel delivery business, GLS. The company has said it will pay the fine and added: “By agreeing not to contest the allegations and provide compliance commitments, Royal Mail has benefited from a reduction in the French competition authority’s fine.”
The authorities also imposed fines on 15 courier companies who agreed on price adjustments related to fuel prices between May 2004 and January 2006.
The l’Autorité de la concurrence published a 232-page report outlining its findings and judgement on its website today (15 December). A table listing the fines imposed is produced on pages 228 and 229 of the report.
UPDATE
TNT sent out the following official statement at 10:30 am UK time today:
“France’s Competition Authority (Autorité de la Concurrence, “FCA”) today announced in its press release that TNT has been ordered to pay a €58 million fine in relation to alleged anti-competitive behaviour in the French parcel delivery sector.
“The case relates to activities that took place before 2010.
“TNT has co-operated with the investigation since it started in 2010.
“During the third quarter of 2014, TNT entered into a settlement agreement with the FCA and booked a provision of €50 million in relation to this matter. TNT will review the merits of the decision.”
