The Austrian competition authority has announced a fine of €175,000 against Huber Entsorgungsgesellschaft m.b.H. Nfg. KG and Huber Abfallservice Verwaltungsgesellschaft m.b.H. for their involvement in a cartel that operated in the waste management sector.

Huber was found to have engaged in price-fixing, market division, and the exchange of sensitive competitive information from 2003 until March 2021 in the Carinthia region. This behavior was part of a broader Austrian cartel that lasted from at least July 2002 to March 2021.

The decision is now legally binding. Huber cooperated with the competition authority under the leniency program, providing comprehensive admissions that contributed to the investigation. As a result of this cooperation, the authority requested a reduced fine.

The cartel affected the entire Austrian waste management industry, with companies participating in price agreements, market and customer allocations, and sharing sensitive information regarding public and private tenders. This collusion allowed the companies to secure contracts and stabilize their market shares.

Investigations are ongoing against several other companies involved in the cartel, supported by extensive data collected during raids in 2021 and 2022. The cooperation of the involved companies under the leniency program has been crucial for the authority's investigative efforts.