NMa Decides Not to Impose Fines on Individual Cleaning Companies after Administrative Appeal

Following an administrative appeal, the Netherlands Competition Authority (NMa) has decided not to impose fines on the cleaning companies Gom Schoonhouden B.V., Asito B.V. and CSU Total Care B.V. In 2003, NMa fined these companies EUR 4,415,000, EUR 6,993,550 and EUR 3,567,000 respectively for their role in the issuing of recommended price increases to companies in the office cleaning sector. NMa decided not to impose these fines because the evidence that these companies had played an independent role, distinguishable from their branch association OSB, was deemed to be insufficient in the administrative appeal procedure. This conclusion was reached partly on the grounds of arguments presented by the parties.