The Portuguese Competition Authority (Autoridade da Concorrência - AdC) has imposed a fine of € 100.000,00 on CP CARGA, for providing false, inaccurate or incomplete information further to a request of the AdC, in the context of an antitrust investigation in the sector of rail freight transport.

 

This is the second time in 2015 that the AdC imposes a fine for providing false, inaccurate or incomplete information, pursuant to the Competition Act.

 

The provision by an undertaking, following an AdC’s request, of all information in its possession that is to the best of its knowledge accurate and complete, is fundamental for the proper exercise of the AdC’s sanctioning and supervision powers.

 

In this regard, the supply by an undertaking, either negligently or deliberately, of information that turns out to be misleading or incomplete, could conceal competition problems in the market and harm businesses and consumers, besides raising obstacles to the investigation, thus leading to unnecessary spending of time and resources.

 

The proceedings against CP CARGA were opened in November 2014 and have now been concluded with the imposition of a fine, after the defendant was given the opportunity to exercise its rights to a prior hearing .

 

The AdC’s decision is subject to judicial review by the Competition Regulation and Supervision Court.

 

The main antitrust investigation in the sector of rail freight transport was closed in the meantime.