Romania’s Competition Council announced it has imposed fines totalling RON217m (US$45m) on the country’s three largest cement producers — Holcim Romania, Romcim, and Heidelberg Materials — for engaging in price collusion.
Holcim Romania, which faces the largest share of the fine, EUR18.2m (US$19m), has stated its intention to appeal the decision, describing it as “groundless” in a press release.
The competition watchdog concluded that between 2017 and 2018, the three companies exchanged commercially sensitive information, including details about future prices, discounts, payment terms and volumes, via their customers. The council revealed that internal mechanisms were implemented within each company to collect and share non-public commercial data through regional sales agents, influencing their pricing strategies.
“Each company involved could reasonably foresee that information about its own commercial conditions would reach other producers. This behaviour led to reduced competition, causing cement prices in Romania to rise above those in neighbouring countries,” said Competition Council President, Bogdan Chiritoiu.
