A fine on the wrong side of one billion euros.
It can, according to BMW will be the outcome of the indictment, which the EU commission has presented Daimler, Volkswagen and BMW for Friday. With competition commissioner Margrethe Vestager, in the lead, accused the commission here the three bilgiganter to have formed cartel from 2006 to 2014.
This writes Automotive News Europe.
concretely, should the cartel have been working together to ‘reduce and delay the development of udledningsrensende technology for new diesel and gasoline cars’, as the commission writes in a press release.
Companies can cooperate in many ways to improve the quality of the products. But the EU’s competition rules do not allow you in the secret agreements on exactly the opposite, says Margrethe Vestager in a press release.
On the ledelsesgangen at BMW you can far from being recognize that you have formed cartel with the two competitors. Nevertheless, already now prepare themselves for a potential kæmpebøde.
BMW says in a press release, that the matter may be expected to have a negative effect on the accounts for the whole year. Already now predict, therefore, that the group’s margin of profit will be between one and 1.5 percent below the original target of between six and eight percent.
the Indictment get the BMW Group to conclude that it is probable (‘more secure than the uncertain’), that the EU commission will issue a substantial fine, write BMW in the press release.
In almost the same breath write the car giant also:
– the BMW Group will contest the EUROPEAN commission’s accusations with all parts of the legal toolbox, if it is necessary.
Unlike BMW expects Daimler no financial penalty, if the EU ends with the judging of the three groups. This is because according to Automotive News Europe that Daimler – which is behind the Mercedes-Benz – in his time tipped the EU about cooperation.
Volkswagen has not commented on the accusations yet, but requested time to review the indictment.
the EU commission writes in a press release that the charges only concerned about breaches of competition law. Previous cases of cheating, for example with a software under forureningstests therefore has nothing to do with the new charges, the commission finds.
Bilgiganterne now have the opportunity to defend themselves in both writing and at a hearing before the commission takes a final position on a possible financial penalty.
