Brussels, 27/03/2012 (Agence Europe) - It is possible that on Wednesday 28 March, the European Commission will announce a series of fines against participants in a price-fixing agreement in the freight forwarding sector (organisation of freight transport, customs clearance, warehousing, ground services, etc), detected in 2007. This involves four different infringements to the ruling against cartels and restrictive commercial practices (Article 101 TFEU and Article.23 of the Agreement on the EEA) and the provision of forwarding services on routes from the United Kingdom to non-EU countries outside the EEA, from the EEA to the US, from China to the EEA and from Southern China/Hong Kong to the EEA. In October 2007, the Commission raided the premises of Kuehne + Nagel, Panalpina, Schenker, EGL, which has now become CEVA, Expeditors and UTI, as part of an investigation carried out by the US Justice Department and the Swiss competition committee. In February 2010, it sent a statement of objections to several of these companies, including DHL Global Forwarding, Kuehne + Nagel and Panalpina. Since then, DHL Global Forwarding has indicated its intention to co-operate with the Commission in exchange for immunity against possible proceedings and fines, on the condition that the company cooperates with the investigation. The fines that the Commission is preparing to announce could also possibly target other operators. (FG/transl.fl)