The EU fine railway groups ÖBB, DB and SNCB in order to have constituted a trust in the segment of the rail shipment of the goods



The EU commission has comminato fines for beyond 48 million euros to railway group Austrian ÖBB, that Deutsche Bahn (DB) and that Belgian SNCB for violation of the norms antitrust of the EU in the within of the services of transboundary rail shipment of the goods with trains long block the railway corridors in the EU. The Commission has specified that the three railway companies have admitted their involvement in a trust for the division of the customers and have accepted to resolve the case.
The investigation of the EU commission has ascertained that the three railway societies have been coordinated exchanging information on the demands for offers by the customers and have agreed the application of rates more elevated in order protect the respective activities. The societies have participated moreover to a system of allocation of the customers prohibited from the rules of competition of the EU. The anti-competitive conduct has lasted from 8 Decembers 2008 on April 30, 2014, with the participation of the SNCB solo from on November 15, 2011 and only for transport ÖBB, DB and SNCB. The trust regarded the conventional fields of the transport of goods (with the exception of the transports of automobiles).

If to DB and SNCB a reduction of the fine is recognized as a result of their cooperation during the investigations, to the company Austrian ÖBB a fine of about 37 million euros is recognized the full immunity avoiding so. The endorsement for DB but is increased of 50% in consideration of the participation precedence of the German company to another trust, for which therefore it is considered recidivous. DB will have so to pay 48,3 million euros, while the fine at the expense of SBCB is of 270 thousand euros.

"The rail shipment of the goods - the vice president of the EU commission has commented, Margrethe Vestager, in charge of politics on the competition - is vital for a model of sustainable economy. The competition loyal is important in order to supply to the customers the best one offered when a sustainable transport is used. A trust between operating head physicians who offer to transport services goods on long track the main railway corridors in all the EU goes fundamentalally against this objective. The today's decision clearly sends a sign that this type of collusivo behavior is not acceptable".