The Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) stopped its anticartel investigation in the bunker sector in the Amsterdam – Rotterdam – Antwerp triangle, as it did not find any actual cartel agreement.
In 2017, ACM received reports about the bunker sector through the police and the Dutch Public Prosecution Service (OM). Based on those reports, an investigation was launched. ACM conducted several dawn raids, and sat down with the sector. ACM told the companies involved about the decision to stop the investigation.
Although between 2011 and 2014, discussions about a price-fixing agreement were held, they did not result in an actual cartel agreement. However, ACM noted that this kind of conduct raises anticompetitive concerns.
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ACM also sat down with the trade association NOVE. Bunkering companies did hold discussions about the desirability of price-fixing agreements. Not all bunkering companies agreed to this idea, which is why the cartel did not happen.
NOVE told ACM that it has taken measures to improve compliance with competition rules among its members, and that it sees ACM’s investigation as a wake-up call for the entire bunker sector.
