Cartels and Abuse Control

Report cartel agreements and market power abuse!

Cartel agreements and abuses of market power have an adverse effect on competition and can have a series of negative consequences that result in enormous economic damage. Examples of possible economic effects include inflated prices, less variety for enterprises and consumers, and less innovation.

Companies that are affected by illegal practices, or are involved in illegal practices and wish to terminate this involvement, can make a significant contribution to the exposure, termination and punishment of competition infringements.

Report illegal practices! Your concerns will be treated in strict confidence.

What is a Cartel?

Cartels are agreements and concerted practices between companies that either are aimed at or result in restricting or preventing competition. These agreements include price fixing, quota arrangements and the division of markets between competitors.

Cartels hamper companies' economic activities and raise consumer prices. An OECD study reveals that such prices are set higher by about 16% than under normal conditions of competition.

What is Abuse of Market Power?

If a company does not have sufficient competitive pressure, it can essentially act independently of its competitors and its customers. Having such a dominant market position is not prohibited, but the aim of antitrust law and the activities of the Federal Competition Authority is to remedy abuses of this dominant market position.

Practices by dominant companies are considered abusive if they lead to disadvantages for other companies and customers and would not naturally occur or be possible in a setting of effective competition. Abusive practices include imposing unfair prices, restriction of sales, unfair treatment of certain contractors, and selling goods below cost value.

File a complaint!

Do you know of a violation of antitrust law or a case of market power abuse?

Then file a complaint.

Apply for leniency!

Is your company itself involved in prohibited cartel agreements and would like to stop this? Apply for leniency!

Find out more under: Leniency

ICN about Cartels in Austria

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