the Competition authority informs the Norwegian broadcasting corporation NRK that the basis for the investigation is the industry’s own reports to the audit, which is submitted once in six months.
It is on the basis of the latest reports, the Norwegian Competition authority has initiated an investigation.
– We shall now investigate whether there is a violation of konkurranselovens section 10 of the illegal cooperation in the form of determination of prices, says Marita Skjæveland, deputy head of the department of building, industry and energy in the Competition.
OPEN the INVESTIGATION: Marita Skjæveland in the Competition.
Photo: Cato Heldal Kristensen / NRK Particular monitoring
the Competition authority has followed closely drivstoffmarkedet through the several years. In 2016 started the audit with a special market surveillance. This was as a result of that the authority considered that the competition in this market was considerably limited.
the Monitoring means that the actors in the market are required to submit information regarding, inter alia, prices, volume of sales and purchase to the Competition on semi-annually basis.
” The fact that the Competition authority open a etterforskningssak, does not imply that companies under investigation are guilty of offences, says Skjæveland.
the Competition authority will, in the further work with the case collect additional information to refute or confirm a suspected breach of competition law in the form of illegal cooperation.
If the investigation were to detect a collusion, a possible reaction being that the Competition authority requires termination or the give fee.
the Competition authority says they do not have the opportunity to go more specifically into the case.
Seven suppliers have delivered
According to E24, that comes in the Konkurransetilsynets lists before who as late as in the summer delivered information about pricing.
This is the Circle K, Uno-X Energy, St1 Norway, Oljeleverandøren AS, Oil and energy center, Certas Energy and the Best Drive.
community manager Knut Hilmar Hansen in the Circle K, says to NRK that they are familiar with the fact that the Competition authority has opened etterforskningssak.
We are committed to fair competition and is working systematically to act in accordance with all laws and regulations at any time, ” says Hansen.
He adds that the Competition authority has requested information from the Circle K, but for the sake of the investigation he wishes not to elaborate on what they have requested, or the documentation that is handed over.
We will cooperate with the Competition authority and give them access to the information they requested, ” says Hansen.
– high time with the investigation
Økonomiprofessor Frode Steen, Norwegian school of economics believes it is high time that the Competition authority is investigating players in the drivstoffmarkedet.
” We have seen an increase of margins in the industry over time. In addition, we have seen a clear control of the price through prisstøttesystemer and recommended rates. Today it may look like that there is a Circle K which is the market leader. When they change their recommended prices, it seems that the rest of the industry follow suit and increase prices accordingly, ” says Steen.
– do you Think there is some contact between the various actors?
– With the system they have today, they don’t need to have contact with each other, so it is difficult to speculate.
– What does the Competition for?
There are two things they go after. The first one is any contact between the parties, where one analyzes the e-mails and that sort of thing. The second one analyzes the is prices and price trends, as well as how the pricing systems work internally in the industry, ” says Steen.
SUPPORTS AUDIT: Økonomiprofessor Frode Steen at the NORWEGIAN believes it is good that the Competition authority will now examine drivstoffaktørene.
Photo: Alf-Jørgen Tyssing / NRK
