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Switzerland: BMW loses appeal of US$158m fine

By  |  November 12, 2017

BMW will have to pay a US$158 million fine that Swiss competition authorities imposed on the German automaker five years ago after Switzerland’s top court said Friday, November 9, that it had rejected its appeal.

“The Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland has rejected the appeal by the company Bayerische Motoren Werke AG… related to the fine of around ₣157 million imposed in 2012,” (US$158 million, at current exchange rates) the court said.

The Swiss Competition Commission (COMCO) claimed that since 2003 the German automaker had prevented Swiss nationals from buying its BMW and Mini carsabroad.

A clause in the contracts of BMW dealers operating in the European Economic Area prohibited sales to clients from countries outside the bloc, making it hard for individuals to import the cars to Switzerland, COMCO said at the time.

Full Content: Economic Times

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