NMa Suspects Five Builders of Athletics Tracks of Cartel Agreements

The Netherlands Competition Authority (NMa) suspects five construction companies, which specialise in the construction, maintenance and renovation of athletics tracks, of entering into cartel agreements. NMa has drawn up a report due to a reasonable suspicion that the companies systematically coordinated their tender subscription behaviour and divided assignments amongst themselves. The coordination took place up to and including 2000 and related to tens of projects.

NMa suspects the following companies: Groenewoud Sport & Recreatie (part of the Volker Wessels Stevin group), Arcadis Planrealisatie (part of the Arcadis group, previously Heidemij), Ingenieursbureau Oranjewoud B.V., Aannemingsbedrijf Van Lee (part of the Heijmans group since the beginning of 1999) and Van Gelder Cultuurtechniek.

In total, the Netherlands has eight companies that built athletics tracks, of which five specialise in the construction of athletics tracks from synthetic materials. NMa suspects these five companies of being involved in systematic consultation with a view to dividing the market amongst themselves. As a result, their customers have not benefited from prices determined on the basis of competition between the companies. Due to its nature, the coordination by the companies of their subscription behaviour in relation to tenders is considered to be a very grave infringement of the Competition Act.

The companies have now been given the opportunity to respond to the report. After this, NMa will take a final decision on the infringement and will decide whether or not to impose a fine.

A special team at NMa is conducting an investigation into the formation of cartels in the construction sector. Earlier, NMa drew up four reports on various construction companies due to reasonable suspicions that they had committed infringements of the prohibition on cartels.