Brussels, 10/10/2001 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday, the Commission decided unanimously to impose a fine of EUR 72 million on the German-American automobile manufacturer DaimlerChrysler for three infringements to the Community competition rules. After a detailed investigation initiated in April 1999, the Commission reached the conclusion that the manufacturer had infringed European competition rules in three ways. Infringements consisted of:
Measures that were an obstacle to the parallel trade of cars in Germany: DaimlerChrysler had ordered the members of its German distribution network of Mercedes passenger cars not to sell cars outside their respective territory.
Measures to limit in Germany and Spain the sales of cars by Mercedes agents or dealers to independent leasing companies as long as these companies had not found customers for the cars concerned. Such restrictions prevented the companies from holding cars in stock or from benefiting from rebates granted to all fleet owners. Consequently, the independent leasing companies were not able to pass on such favourable conditions to their clients.
A price fixing agreement, in Belgium, with the aim of limiting the rebates granted to consumers: According to the agreement, DaimlerChrysler reduced deliveries to dealers which granted their customers reductions higher than the 3% level agreed.
Practices in the automobile sector are thus under close scrutiny by the Commission. This is the fourth time an automobile manufacturer receives a fine for breach of competition rules. The manufacturer Volkswagen was found guilty of similar infringements on two occasions (in 1998 and 2001), as was Opel in 2000.