Brussels sanctions giants of electronics



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"Millions of European consumers have had to pay more for kitchen appliances, laptops and many other products," said EU Commissioner for Competition Margrethe Vestager

The European Commission has inflicted Tuesday fines to four electronics manufacturers: Philips, Asus, Denon & Marantz and Pioneer, sanctioned for bad practices in online trading. The Union's guardian of competition accuses them of imposing fixed or minimum resale prices on their online retailers.

Asus fined 63.5 million euros, Philips 29, 8 million euros in penalties, Pioneer 10.1 million and Denon & Marantz 7.7 million. "More than half of Europeans are now shopping online. As a result of the measures taken by these four companies, millions of European consumers have had to pay more for kitchen appliances, hairdryers, laptops, headsets and many other products, "the European Commissioner said. Competition, Margrethe Vestager. Retailers who did not comply with manufacturers' prices were exposed to threats or sanctions, such as a cessation of supply.

Video games and hotels

The amounts of the fines were reduced (from 50 % for Pioneer, 40% for others), companies cooperating with Brussels and acknowledged the facts. They even brought evidence of their illegal practices. By its decision, the European Commission closed the first of three investigations opened on 2 February 2017 concerning bad practices in electronic commerce. Two more are underway, concerning video games and the hotel industry.

In France, the decision of the Competition Authority is also expected in the context of an investigation into a presumed agreement between manufacturers of large appliances Appliances, between 2006 and 2009. Whirlpool has entered into a "preliminary agreement" with a fine of $ 111 to $ 134 million with the AMF. Electrolux has already provisioned nearly 55 million euros in this case.

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