23.9.2019

Pohjolan Liikenne – Defence in Competition Investigations and Enforcement Proceedings

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We represented Oy Pohjolan Liikenne Ab in long-running investigations and subsequent competition enforcement proceedings before the FCCA, the Market Court and the Supreme Administrative Court in relation to an alleged cartel concerning the Finnish bus and coach transportation markets. The matter is a landmark competition case in Finland both in terms of the number of defendants and of the FCCA having proposed the highest ever fines (in total EUR 38 million) in a case relating to cooperation within a trade association (Finnish Bus and Coach Association). Due to a successful defence, the Supreme Administrative Court ultimately imposed significantly lower fines on the parties (in total EUR 8.9 million) than those claimed by the FCCA in its proposal to the Market Court. On the part of our client, we managed to reduce the imposed fines from the proposed and claimed amount of approximately EUR 5.8 million to EUR 300 thousand.

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