The Competition Authority has convicted an association and five “main laboratory groups” of cartel activity, imposing a fine of 48.61 million euros.
The cartel, the entity claims, “operated in the Portuguese market to provide clinical analysis and Covid-19 tests between at least 2016 and 2022.”
In addition to the laboratories, the cartel also includes the industry association. According to the indictment, the prices and geographical distribution of the market for the provision of clinical analyses and Covid tests were set by agreement between all of them. More than 40 million tests had been carried out by 30 March 2022.
The process was initiated following a complaint from one of the companies, which resulted in the fine being waived. Two other companies have already paid 8.9 million euros for opting for the designated settlement procedure, voluntarily paying the fine and refusing to go to court.
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Source: Observadora
