Swiss Post Accepts Fine By Antitrust Watchdog

Swiss Post is withdrawing its pending appeal against a ruling by the Swiss Competition Commission (COMCO).

The procedure had been underway for over ten years. The ruling concerns the structure of discounts on letters for major customers.

Pricing measures are an important pillar of Swiss Post’s new strategy. This also includes discounts. Swiss Post has stated that in order to push ahead with this strategy without delay, Swiss Post does not want to have to pursue a legal procedure that could go on for many more years. Instead, it needs clarity and has therefore decided to withdraw the appeal. Consequently, Swiss Post is now accepting the fine of 22.6 million francs.

COMCO initiated proceedings against Swiss Post’s pricing system for addressed domestic letters for business customers in July 2013.

In 2017, it fined Swiss Post the sum of 22.6 million francs for allegedly granting discounts that are unlawful under antitrust law to major customers for addressed domestic letters between 2009 and 2014. Swiss Post contested this ruling before the Federal Administrative Court on the basis of several expert reports, and submitted an appeal in July 2018. Now, over three years later, Swiss Post is withdrawing its appeal. By accepting the fine from COMCO, it will prevent the procedure from continuing for years until a final-instance decision is reached.

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