The Austrian competition authority has announced that the Cartel Court has fined Pusiol GmbH EUR 130,000 for its involvement in anti-competitive practices from July 2002 to August 2016. The company was found to be a secondary party in a cartel that engaged in price fixing, market division, and the exchange of sensitive information regarding public and private tenders in civil engineering projects, particularly in Lower Austria.

Pusiol's actions were part of a broader infringement affecting the entire Austrian territory, where various companies participated to different extents. The cartel aimed to minimize competition to secure contracts and market share, particularly in road construction projects. The companies involved coordinated their bids, agreed on winning bidders, and even submitted bogus offers to manipulate the tendering process.

In its defense, Pusiol cooperated with the Austrian Federal Competition Authority (AFCA) outside the leniency program, acknowledging its infringement. This cooperation led to a request for a reduced fine, taking into account the company's smaller size and economic strength. The ongoing investigations into the cartel are expected to reveal further details about the extent of the anti-competitive behavior.