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Design company pays fine of DKK 6 million for dictating prices

GUBI A/S, a Danish design company within furniture and lighting, has entered into a settlement and accepted to pay a fine of DKK 6 million for infringing the Danish Competition Act. The company contacted the authorities on the matter themselves and acknowledged to have violated the law.

The settlement decision states, that the infringement took place in a period of not less than 2 ½ years until February 2020, and that GUBI A/S infringed the Danish Competition Act’s prohibition on resale price maintenance and price fixing by being responsible for a number of employees entering into anti-competitive agreements with a number of dealers.

The size of the fine takes into account the gravity of the infringement - including the fact that the anti-competitive agreements includes both vertical and horizontal elements – the duration of the infringement as well as the turnover of the company.

As a mitigating circumstance the fine takes into account that GUBI A/S has documented that, they have implemented a compliance program.  Moreover, emphasis has been placed to the fact that GUBI A/S contacted the authorities themselves and acknowledged to have violated the law and hereafter cooperated with the Danish Competition and Consumer Authority in settling the case.