EU set to impose record cartel fine on truckmakers 歐盟擬向6家卡車制造商開出“創(chuàng)紀錄罰單”

The EU is set to issue the biggest cartel fine in its history, punishing Europe’s largest truckmakers over charges that they fixed prices and delayed the introduction of new emission technologies.

歐盟(EU)即將開出其歷史上金額最高的反壟斷罰單，以涉嫌操縱價格并推遲引入新的排放技術為由，對歐洲各大卡車制造商進行處罰。

Margrethe Vestager, EU competition commissioner, issued the original charge sheet against DAF, Daimler, Iveco, Scania, MAN and Volvo/Renault in 2014. Four of those companies have now set aside provisions amounting to $2.6bn.

2014年，歐盟競爭事務專員瑪格麗特•維斯特格(Margrethe Vestager)發(fā)布針對DAF卡車、戴姆勒(Daimler)、依維柯(Iveco)、斯堪尼亞(Scania)、曼卡車(MAN)以及沃爾沃/雷諾(Volvo/Renault)的指控單初稿。其中4家公司現在已為此撥備高達26億美元的準備金。

People close to the discussions on penalties say that they are expecting the fine this year, possibly within weeks, unless there is a reversal by the European Commission.

據了解有關罰金討論的人士稱，他們預計今年會發(fā)出罰單，有可能在幾周內——除非歐盟委員會(European Commission)改變態(tài)度。

The expected fine easily outstrips the EU’s previous record of €1.4bn for a television and computer monitor tubes cartel in 2012, and dwarfs those imposed over euro and yen interest rate derivative cartels. Ms Vestager has compared the action against the truckmakers to her landmark antitrust showdowns with Google, the US search group, and Gazprom, Russia’s gas export monopoly.

這筆預計罰款將顯著超過歐盟2012年對電視和電腦顯像管壟斷開出的14億歐元的創(chuàng)紀錄罰金，還將超過對歐元和日元利率衍生品價格操縱開出的罰單。維斯特格將針對卡車制造商的訴訟與她向美國搜索集團谷歌(Google)和俄羅斯天然氣出口壟斷企業(yè)俄羅斯天然氣工業(yè)股份公司(Gazprom)發(fā)起的里程碑式的反壟斷攤牌相提并論。

Her probe focuses on the behaviour of the six companies between 1997 and 2011, according to documents seen by the Financial Times. The charges describe several ways in which the manufacturers allegedly colluded on price. Most sensitively after the Volkswagen scandal, the companies are also accused of agreeing the “timing and price increase levels for the introduction of new emission technologies”.

根據英國《金融時報》看到的文件，她的調查重點是1997年至2011年期間上述6家公司的行為。起訴書稱，這些卡車制造商涉嫌使用多種方法合謀定價。作為自大眾(Volkswagen)尾氣丑聞之后最為敏感的事件，這些公司還被指在“引入新的排放技術的時間表和由此帶來的價格漲幅”問題上串通。

Ms Vestager has stressed that Europe has 600,000 hauliers — mostly small businesses — and argues that any price collusion among truckmakers would have put up prices of everything from food to furniture.

維斯特格強調，歐洲有60萬家貨運公司，多數為小公司，她認為，卡車制造商之間的任何價格合謀都將提高很多商品的價格，從食品到家具。

The companies said they were co-operating with the investigation, although one added it might appeal any negative decision.

這些卡車制造商表示，他們正配合調查，不過一家公司補充稱，如果歐盟做出負面裁決，其可能上訴。

In preparation for a big financial hit, DAF has put aside $945m; Iveco $500m, Daimler €600m ($672m) and Volvo SKr3.7bn ($444m). As the whistleblower, MAN, which is owned by Volkswagen Group, would ordinarily escape a fine.

DAF、依維柯、戴姆勒和沃爾沃已分別為此撥備9.45億美元、5億美元、6億歐元(合6.72億美元)和37億瑞典克朗(合4.44億美元)準備金。作為舉報方，大眾集團旗下的曼卡車一般會免于受罰。

Only Scania, which is also owned by VW, has not put aside any money. “Scania remains unable to estimate the impact the investigation will have,” the company said its annual report. “It cannot be ruled out that the commission will impose fines on Scania,” it added.

只有同為大眾所有的斯堪尼亞沒有撥備任何準備金。“斯堪尼亞仍無法估計調查將造成的影響，”該公司在其年報中表示。該公司補充稱：“不能排除歐盟委員會將對斯堪尼亞處以罰款的可能性。”