CADE concludes five agreements in cartel investigations

The Tribunal of the Administrative Council for Economic Defense – CADE validated, on 9 November 2016, five Cease and Desist Agreements (TCC for their acronym in Portuguese). The total amount collected sum up to BRL 83 million in pecuniary contribution. 

The first agreement was signed with the company UPS SCS Transportes Brasil S.A., accused of cartel activity in the market of coordination of international freight.  The pecuniary contribution will be around BRL 5, 9 million.

Another TCC was signed with the companies NGK do Brasil LTDA - NGK Brasil, NGK Spark Plug Co. LTD. - NGK JAPÃO and nine individuals. In this case, the conduct occurred in the national and international sparking plugs market and consisted of fixing quotations, agreements on price ranges and productivity, future increases in the independent replacement market and sharing sensitive information. The companies will have to pay a pecuniary contribution of BRL 24, 5 million.

Moreover, the company FAE Sistemas de Medição S.A concluded a TCC with CADE related to a proceeding that investigates an alleged cartel in the residential hydrometers market. The company was accused of price fixing and cartel in bid riggings, with conducts such as price fixing, coverage proposals and abstention in public bids. The total amount of the pecuniary contribution to be paid will be BRL 4 million.

Further, CADE celebrated a TCC with the group Grupo OW/WW, formed by the companies Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics AS and Eukor Car Carriers Inc.

The companies were implicated in a proceeding that investigated an international cartel in the market for maritime transportation by Roll On Roll Off ships. The cartel activity involved the practices of market and consumers division. The pecuniary contribution will be BRL 28, 6 million.

Finally, the fifth TCC was signed with the company Autoliv do Brasil Ltda. and three individuals in the market of airbag modules (for drivers and passengers), seat belts and steering wheel. The parties agreed to fix prices and to establish commercial conditions, allocate clients, divide market and share sensitive information. The pecuniary contribution will be BRL 20,6 million.

The TCC’s signatories acknowledged their participation in the conducts and made the commitment to cease any anticompetitive practice. In addition, they committed to contributing with Cade’s investigations on these cases.