Austrian Waste Management Company Seeks Reduced Fine in Cartel Case
The Austrian waste management company Saubermacher Dienstleistungs AG cooperated with authorities in a cartel investigation, leading to a reduced fine request of EUR 7.085 million.
08.09.2024 | Austrian competition authority
Saubermacher Dienstleistungs AG cooperated with the Austrian Federal Competition Authority (BWB) in a cartel investigation, admitting to participating in anticompetitive practices from July 2002 to March 2021. This cooperation resulted in a reduced fine request by the BWB.
The BWB conducted raids on over 20 waste management companies in March 2021, leading to further investigations, whistleblower reports, and additional raids in April 2022. The BWB gathered extensive data from companies across Austria, with ongoing investigations against several others.
The waste management sector in Austria is regulated by the Waste Management Act (AWG 2002) and various regional laws, focusing on waste prevention, recycling, recovery, and disposal. The BWB's investigations in this sector targeted waste collection, processing, recycling, and disposal practices.
The anticompetitive behaviors in the waste management industry included price-fixing, market allocation, and sharing sensitive information to secure contracts and market shares, ultimately affecting competition and potentially leading to higher costs for clients and municipalities.
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