BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — Officials say they will fine five gasoline producers €206 million ($262 million) for allegedly agreeing among themselves to withdraw a certain type of fuel from the market and breaking antitrust rules.
National Competition Council chairman Bogdan Chiritoiu said Tuesday that OMV Petrom, Lukoil, ENI, MOL Hungarian Oil and Rompetrol Downstream will all be sanctioned for the breach of competition rules.
He says they agreed to withdraw Eco-Premium, an unleaded gasoline premixed with lead substitute, from the market in 2008 at a time when it represented about 2 percent of all gasoline sales. He said the companies have 30 days to contest the fine, adding that regulators would later present the results of their probe.
Rompetrol Downstream said it would contest the fine.