Brussels, 27/11/2013 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 27 November, the European Union fined four European North Sea shrimp traders a total of €28,716,000 for their involvement in a cartel in breach of EU rules on cartels and abuse of dominant position.
The companies concerned are Heiploeg, Klaas Puul, Kok Seafood (all three of which are established in the Netherlands) and Stührk (Germany). They represent some 80% of the North Sea shrimp market in the EU. Between June 2000 and January 2009, Heiploeg and Klaas Puul agreed to set prices and divide up the volumes of sales of North Sea shrimps in Belgium, France, Germany and the Netherlands. Kok Seafood joined this arrangement in February 2005 at least, whilst Stührk was involved in the agreement on price-setting in Germany from March 2003 to November 2007. Klaas Puul was given total immunity under the Commission's 2006 leniency notice, as it was the first to provide information about the cartel.
Commenting on the decision, the vice-president of the Commission Joaquin Almunia stressed that this cartel was harmful to consumers. He went on to express astonishment at “what kind of detail North Sea shrimp traders in their frequent contact with each other discussed commercially sensitive information concerning their business. And it is even more astonishing taking into account the sector had already received a clear warning via the previous conviction of some traders by the Dutch competition authority”, he concluded.
Heiploeg has been handed down a fine of €27,082,000, Stührk a fine of €1,132,000 and Kok Seafood a fine of €502,000. (OL/transl.fl)