EU: Car industry vulnerable to cartels says Vestager

According to German newspaper Zeit, the car industry is vulnerable to cartels in the eyes of EU Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager. There have already been ten cartels in the auto industry she stated.

“When products are very similar and it is difficult to differentiate the quality, it is obviously tempting for manufacturers to negotiate to divide the market or orders. ” Vestager said on Saturday, February 10.

In 2017, “Spiegel” reported on years of collusion in several German automakers which the EU Commission is currently investigating.  BMW, Daimler and VW along with  Audi and Porsche are said to have exchanged information about models, costs and suppliers – possibly at the expense of competition and consumers. There is no result on the probe so far, said Vestager.

“We are very thorough because it is quite permissible for companies to cooperate in research and development. Some things a single company can not handle alone. “But the commission must also examine “whether and where the car companies are moving in gray areas or have even made illegal arrangements.” Asked whether the investigation will be completed later this year, Vestager said, “I hope so.”

Full Content: Zeit Online

Want more news? Subscribe to CPI’s free daily newsletter for more headlines and updates on antitrust developments around the world.