Hungarian competition office fines Magyar Posta, Lapker

The Competition Office (GVH) has penalised the state-owned postal service Magyar Posta and regional periodical distributor Lapker Ft 468 million apiece, after it proved that the two companies had agreed not to enter each other’s markets.

The cartel began in 1998, when Magyar Posta sold its regional wholesale distribution service to Lapker. The regional distributor agreed that it would not venture into periodical distribution formerly controlled by Magyar Posta, which in return agreed to opt out of wholesale distribution to news sellers. The agreement was cancelled in 2005.

Magyar Posta asserted that it will bring a legal action to challenge the ruling.