Strikingly, many of the anti-trust cases in the construction industry

the struggle of The last years against collusion in public tenders has paid off, according to the competition authority Weko: So she could finish in the last year, a part of the proceedings against the Grisons Baukartell. In a striking number of Weko cases, the construction industry is involved.

a year Ago, the competition authorities with the decision, "Engadine I have completed" the eighth of a total of ten studies of the Grisons Baukartell. The largest case of price-fixing in the Swiss construction industry have beaten high waves, said competition Commission Chairman Andreas Heinemann on Tuesday at the annual media conference of the authority.

Several of the contractors have to specially convened by the local Federation of master Builders, in part, the award of construction projects, Meeting co-organized in the lower Engadine arranged, said Heinemann. It was a matter of who executes the job and what price is offered.

The competition Commission estimates that over the years more than 400 calls for tenders by the Canton, the municipalities and Private manipulated. The affected order volume exceeded 100 million Swiss francs, significantly, it was called. Seven construction companies were fined with a total of 7.5 million Swiss francs. The Association may not be assigned by law with a penalty, must bear part of the costs of the proceedings.

cartels in the construction industry

Recently, the competition Commission has taken a further mutmassliches Baukartell target: you opened an investigation against two Bernese surfacing works. The Kästli and the Alluvia group had agreed upon prices and discounts in the concrete and gravel area to one another, is the accusation. In the past, were flown in Ticino and in the cantons of Aargau and Zurich also Baukartelle.

Weko Director Patrik Ducrey tried to explain to the media why, in the construction of antitrust violations occur on a regular basis. It was apparently a Holdover from past years, as public works contracts had to be advertised and these were often awarded to companies in the Canton.

don't be affected only the construction companies of price-fixing, added Ducrey. Such had also been in other areas, such as in the case of Tunnel-cleaners or installers.

Weko invest

The intense fighting collusion in public procurement tenders in the last ten years is paying off, since last summer, President of the Comco-Director is convinced. Thus, in the prevention, detection and investigation of these so-called submission agreements, much has been invested.

With the development of a statistical instrument, the Comco can uncover appropriate agreements easier. In addition, you lancers face another campaign in the case of public procurement, especially when the Federal government and the cantons. In many of the Meeting's decision, will be trained in carrier, the co-decide on the award of construction projects, in order to detect possible cartel structures better.

An increasingly important role whistleblowers who provide the competition Commission with information on violations of their firms play according to Ducrey. They can protect you, but not for information reward, as it is in the United States.

media mergers

tested in addition to the Bündner Baukartell the competition Commission of 2018 completed three more studies with sanctions. In addition, competition guards to drive in front of all the upheaval in the media landscape. They approved in August the Acquisition of the werbever market Goldbach by the Tamedia publishing house, as well as the merger of the NZZ-a regional title with AZ media. The green light was awarded in the autumn of the purchase of the "Basler Zeitung" by Tamedia.

The competition Commission again emphasized that your media are politically tied to the hands. You have only checked, whether the justified mergers a dominant position in the market or increased. A mandate for the protection of the diversity of the media don't have the competition Commission.

In the current year, should the Comco according to Ducrey some of the other Decisions. For example, since 2014, ongoing investigation into possible collusion by Swiss banks in foreign exchange trading, which was on the verge of a decision. And also the car leasing-a case could soon come to a conclusion. Since the Comco financial companies that belong to the big auto companies, BMW, Fiat, Ford, GM, Mercedes-Benz, PSA and Renault, as well as the Leasing companies of the two importers Amag, Emil Frey studied. (ij/sda)

Created: 02.04.2019, 15:10 PM