{"id":7011,"date":"2025-10-02T13:10:30","date_gmt":"2025-10-02T12:10:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/?p=7011"},"modified":"2025-11-05T13:34:50","modified_gmt":"2025-11-05T12:34:50","slug":"eu-kommission-verhaengt-erstmals-busse-fuer-unvollstaendige-auskuenfte-in-kartelluntersuchung","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/en\/news-insights\/eu-kommission-verhaengt-erstmals-busse-fuer-unvollstaendige-auskuenfte-in-kartelluntersuchung\/","title":{"rendered":"EU Commission imposes first ever Fine for incomplete Information in antitrust Investigation"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"7011\" class=\"elementor elementor-7011\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"has_eae_slider elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-5e192929 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-eae-slider=\"72509\" data-id=\"5e192929\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"has_eae_slider elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-328c9e8\" data-eae-slider=\"36042\" data-id=\"328c9e8\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1457845 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"1457845\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"825\" height=\"495\" src=\"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/20251002-EU_Kommission_Sanktion-wegen-unvollstaendiger-Auskuenfte.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-7009\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/20251002-EU_Kommission_Sanktion-wegen-unvollstaendiger-Auskuenfte.jpg 825w, https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/20251002-EU_Kommission_Sanktion-wegen-unvollstaendiger-Auskuenfte-300x180.jpg 300w, https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/20251002-EU_Kommission_Sanktion-wegen-unvollstaendiger-Auskuenfte-768x461.jpg 768w, https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/20251002-EU_Kommission_Sanktion-wegen-unvollstaendiger-Auskuenfte-18x12.jpg 18w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 825px) 100vw, 825px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"has_eae_slider elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-a76e28a\" data-eae-slider=\"13081\" data-id=\"a76e28a\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-99081b4 elementor-widget elementor-widget-theme-post-title elementor-page-title elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"99081b4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"theme-post-title.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">EU Commission imposes first ever Fine for incomplete Information in antitrust Investigation<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5f29e2b elementor-widget elementor-widget-post-info\" data-id=\"5f29e2b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"post-info.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"elementor-inline-items elementor-icon-list-items elementor-post-info\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item elementor-repeater-item-685ec73 elementor-inline-item\" itemprop=\"about\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-tags\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text elementor-post-info__item elementor-post-info__item--type-terms\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-post-info__terms-list\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-post-info__terms-list-item\">Competition<\/span>, <span class=\"elementor-post-info__terms-list-item\">News<\/span>\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item elementor-repeater-item-d50ae70 elementor-inline-item\" itemprop=\"datePublished\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-calendar\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text elementor-post-info__item elementor-post-info__item--type-date\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<time>02.10.2025<\/time>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item elementor-repeater-item-ec6c601 elementor-inline-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-user-circle\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text elementor-post-info__item elementor-post-info__item--type-custom\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMario Strebel, Fabian Koch\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4d17332b elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"4d17332b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-no-translation=\"\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<style>.elementor-element-4d17332b{display:none !important}<\/style>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e6fdab6 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"e6fdab6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-no-translation=\"\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<style>.elementor-element-e6fdab6{display:none !important}<\/style>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0bcb7c3 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"0bcb7c3\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-no-translation=\"\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p data-start=\"216\" data-end=\"438\"><strong>According to a communication dated 8 September 2025, the European Commission imposed a fine of approximately EUR 172,000 on Eurofield SAS (Eurofield) for providing incomplete responses to Requests for Information (RFIs).<\/strong><\/p><p data-start=\"440\" data-end=\"1163\"><strong>Background<\/strong><\/p><p data-start=\"440\" data-end=\"1163\">In June 2023, as part of an investigation into the artificial turf industry, the <a href=\"https:\/\/commission.europa.eu\/index_en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">European Commission<\/a> requested information from Eurofield. When compared with documents obtained during inspections conducted in connection with the investigation, Eurofield\u2019s response was found to be incomplete. Consequently, in October 2023, the Commission issued a second RFI, setting a deadline and warning of potential sanctions under Article 18(3) of Regulation (EC) No 1\/2003. Eurofield again submitted a response that the <a href=\"https:\/\/commission.europa.eu\/index_en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Commission<\/a> deemed incomplete, prompting the opening of a separate proceeding in November 2024 against Eurofield and its ultimate parent company, Unanime Sport SAS, for procedural infringements.<\/p><p data-start=\"1165\" data-end=\"1778\"><strong>Assessment by the European Commission<\/strong><\/p><p data-start=\"1165\" data-end=\"1778\">The <a href=\"https:\/\/commission.europa.eu\/index_en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Commission<\/a> considered the infringement to be at least negligent and serious. Incomplete submissions can significantly impair the effectiveness of antitrust investigations. Such procedural violations may be sanctioned with fines of up to 1% of annual turnover. In this case, the fine\u2014set at 0.3% of total turnover\u2014was reduced by 30% in light of the companies\u2019 cooperation (acknowledgment of liability, payment of the fine, and submission of missing information) and was imposed jointly and severally on both companies. The underlying investigation remains ongoing.<\/p><p data-start=\"1780\" data-end=\"2147\"><strong>Assessment \/ Context<\/strong><\/p><p data-start=\"1780\" data-end=\"2147\">This is the first time the European Commission has imposed a fine under Article 23(1)(b) of Regulation (EC) No 1\/2003 for incomplete responses to information requests in the context of a cartel investigation. The decision underscores that procedural infringements can be penalized independently of any substantive competition law violation.<\/p><p data-start=\"2149\" data-end=\"2456\">Similarly, under Swiss competition law, companies that fail to comply with their duty to provide information may face fines of up to CHF 100,000 (Article 52 Cartel Act, KG). Natural persons who intentionally fail to provide complete or accurate information may be fined up to CHF 20,000 (Article 55 KG). Accordingly, requests for information must be handled with the utmost diligence, not least because they often raise complex issues concerning the privilege against self-incrimination (nemo tenetur se ipsum accusare). Even formal oversights can quickly result in costly consequences.<\/p><p data-start=\"2744\" data-end=\"2784\">The official notice can be found <a href=\"https:\/\/ec.europa.eu\/commission\/presscorner\/detail\/en\/ip_25_2022\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c0b3fb0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"c0b3fb0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-no-translation=\"\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>CORE Attorneys is a boutique law firm in Switzerland, focusing on <a href=\"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/en\/expertise\/wettbewerbsrecht\/\">competition\/antitrust law<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/en\/expertise\/regulierung\/\">regulatory<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/en\/expertise\/vertriebsrecht\/\">distribution law<\/a> matters. Visit our <a href=\"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/en\/news-insights\/\">News &amp; Insights<\/a> and follow us on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/core-attorneys\">LinkedIn<\/a> for regular updates on all our focus areas.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Gem\u00e4ss Mitteilung vom 8. September 2025 hat die EU-Kommission eine Busse von rund EUR 172\u2019000 gegen Eurofield SAS (Eurofield) verh\u00e4ngt. Grund daf\u00fcr waren unvollst\u00e4ndige Antworten auf Auskunftsverlangen (&#171;Request for Information&#187; | RFI). Hintergrund Im Juni 2023 forderte die EU-Kommission im&#8230;<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7029,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"elementor_header_footer","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_titles_title":"EU-Kommission verh\u00e4ngt erstmals Busse f\u00fcr unvollst\u00e4ndige Ausk\u00fcnfte in Kartelluntersuchung","_seopress_titles_desc":"EU-Kommission verh\u00e4ngt erstmals Busse f\u00fcr unvollst\u00e4ndige  Ausk\u00fcnfte in Kartelluntersuchung","_seopress_robots_index":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[10,9],"tags":[167,42,421,56,672,675,673,165,319,671,674],"class_list":["post-7011","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-competition","category-neuigkeiten","tag-busse","tag-eu","tag-eu-kommission","tag-kartellrecht","tag-kartelluntersuchung","tag-pflichtverletzung","tag-rfi","tag-sanktion","tag-untersuchung","tag-unvollstaendige-auskuenfte","tag-verfahrensverstoss"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7011","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7011"}],"version-history":[{"count":17,"href":"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7011\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7028,"href":"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7011\/revisions\/7028"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7029"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7011"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7011"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/core-attorneys.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7011"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}