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Taxi cartel investigated by the GVH

The Gazdasági Versenyhivatal (GVH - Hungarian Competition Authority) established that seven taxi companies had concluded restrictive agreements in order to attract contracting partners from Rádió Taxi Kft.

On 28 February 2008 the GVH launched a competition supervision proceeding against the following taxi companies:

  • 6 x 6 Taxi Közlekedési Szolgáltató és Kereskedelmi Kft,

  • BUDAPEST TAXI Személyszállító és Szolgáltató Kft,

  • Buda Fuvarozó Kereskedelmi és Szolgáltató Kft,

  • City Taxi Fuvarszervező Szövetkezet,

  • Főtaxi Autóközlekedési és Szolgáltató Zrt,

  • Taxi-2000 Szállítási és Szolgáltató Kft,

  • VOLÁNCOM Közlekedési és Kommunikációs Kft,

and Taxi Fuvarszervező Társaságok Szövetsége.

The available data shows that the taxi companies colluded in advance and agreed on the prospective winners of the public taxi tenders issued with regard to taxi transportation. The GVH later extended the procedure to investigate the alleged coordination of price increases in 2006 and also involved the following taxi companies to the procedure: TAXI 4 Fuvarozó, Kereskedelmi és Szolgáltató Kft and Rádió Taxi Kft. According to the available data, the GVH did not find satisfactory evidence in order to prove the two above-mentioned infringing activities.

The competition supervision procedure also covered the question whether the taxi companies aimed to attract contracting partners from Rádió Taxi during their cooperation.

The decision of the GVH was based on the evidence found during the unannounced inspections held by the authority at the beginning of the procedure, moreover, on the direct written evidence and in a minor part on the statements of witnesses and on other declarations.

It is a matter of common knowledge that according to their market information, their business information and the special relationship with the contracting partners, that taxi companies are fully aware of each other-s professional profile. They are aiming to establish their own professional profile in compliance with the other-s profile.

The above-mentioned attributes enable not only tacit, but also direct and conscious collusion. It can be observed that for years the undertakings under investigation have been carrying out different types of coordinating activities in order to enforce their best interests. The result of the restrictive agreements concerned is that the taxi companies are fully covering the whole market of taxi transportation.

The GVH imposed the following fines on the taxi companies:

  • 4.000.000 HUF (approx. EUR 15 thousand) on 6 x 6 Taxi Közlekedési Szolgáltató és Kereskedelmi Kft,

  • 5.000.000 HUF (approx. EUR 18,5 thousand) on Buda Fuvarozó Kereskedelmi és Szolgáltató Kft,

  • 2.000.000 HUF (approx. EUR 7,4 thousand) on BUDAPEST TAXI Személyszállító és Szolgáltató Kft,

  • 7.000.000 HUF (approx. EUR 26 thousand) on City Taxi Fuvarszervező Szövetkezet,

  • 10.000.000 HUF (approx. EUR 37 thousand) on Főtaxi Autóközlekedési és Szolgáltató Zrt,

  • 6.000.000 HUF (approx. EUR 22 thousand) on Taxi-2000 Szállítási és Szolgáltató Kft

  • and 500.000 HUF (approx. EUR 1,8 hundred) on Taxi 4 Fuvarozó, Kereskedelmi és Szolgáltató Kft.

Case number: Vj-29/2008.

Budapest, 15 April 2011

Gazdasági Versenyhivatal
Kommunikációs Csoport

Further information:
Katalin GONDOLOVICS
Hungarian Competition Authority
Mail: 1054 Budapest, V. ker. Alkotmány u.5.
Postal address: 1245 Budapest, 5. POB 1036
Tel: (+36-1) 472-8902
Email: sajto@gvh.hu
http://www.gvh.hu