Brussels, 27/05/2004 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission has imposed a 1.59 million EUR fine on Topps, a group of companies producing stickers and "Pokemon" collectors' cards, which are very popular with children, for having blocked imports of these products for countries where prices are low to ones with higher prices. This anti-competitive behaviour has caused a compartmentalisation of the European market and infringes European rules, stresses the Commission. Topps had concluded a series of agreements and implemented concerted practices with several of its distributors in the United Kingdom, Italy, Finland, Germany, France and Spain, in an attempt to block parallel imports of stickers and cards, and also confectionery items representing "Pokemon" characters, initially designed for the Nintendo "Game Boy" games console. Topps obtained a sub-licence to feature these characters on several collectable items. This market was estimated at over 600 million EUR in the EEA in 2000, the year in which young consumers' infatuation for these products was at its height.
Following an inquiry, the Commission was able to amass proof of Topps's anti-competitive behaviour. Stating that the prices invoiced by the group to its distributors were up to 243% higher in Finland than in Portugal, where they were the lowest, the Commission also demonstrated that Topps had provided incentives for its distributors to stop parallel imports and keep an eye on the final destination of the products, on pain of reduced deliveries in future. Thus, families in countries practising higher prices had to pay more for stickers, cards and sweets than if competition had been able to play a role. The Commission therefore decided to fine Topps. However, given the brevity of the infringement and the fact that it was stopped immediately on receipt of a warning, the Commission reduced the amount of the fine.