Romania fines Samsung, retailers for anti-competitive deal

The alleged collusion between Samsung Romania and its trade partners Altex, Dante, and Flanco involved fixing resale prices of specific products, limiting the three retailers’ autonomy to set prices independently and consequently constraining competition, the antitrust authority said in a press release on Thursday.

As a result of the anti-competitive agreement between the four parties, consumers paid higher prices for certain types of TVs and mobile phones.

The watchdog imposed fines of 75.4 million lei on Samsung Romania, 20.3 million lei on Dante, 21.4 million lei on Altex, and 6.2 million lei on Flanco.

The watchdog’s investigation was partly prompted by information received on the Competition Whistleblower Platform, a tool through which competition infringements may be reported anonymously.

Competition regulations prohibit agreements among companies or concerted actions that hinder, limit, or distort competition within the Romanian market, particularly those that establish purchase or selling prices, or impose any other trading conditions.

The imposed fines constitute income for the state budget, with Romania’s fiscal authority (ANAF) being responsible for implementing the Competition Council’s sanctions and enforcing the fines.

(1 euro=4.9764 lei)