CURRENT CASES
Professional Videotapes
If you are a purchaser of professional videotapes and are based in Europe you may well have been significantly overcharged during an illegal price fixing cartel which ran between 1999 and 2002. The Commission states in its Decision that TV Stations and producers of TV and advertising programmes have been specifically affected by the cartel.
Contact details
If you feel you have a claim or you wish to discuss matters further please fill out the email form on our contact page. Alternatively, please contact Anthony Maton confidential discussion.
Details of the Cartel
In November 2007 the European Commission announced it had imposed a fine in excess of €74 million on a selection of manufacturers of professional videotapes for their involvement in an anti-competitive cartel, namely Sony, Fuji and Maxell. The addressees managed to raise or otherwise control the prices through a series of regular meetings and other illicit contacts.
The products specifically cartelised include different types of videotape formats such as Digital Betacam, Betacam SP, Betacam SX, Betacam, DVPRO, D5, D3, D2, M2, DigitalS, U-matic, SVHS or Hi8. The Commission found that the cartel had been operated between 1999 and 2002 across the European Economic Area in a market that, in 2001, was reported to have a total annual sale of some €115 million.
Although fines have already been imposed on the companies addressed by the Commission, none of this money is used to compensate those who have suffered damages as a result of this illegal activity. The Commission specifically states in every press release that any company affected by such illegal actions has a right, and are encouraged to pursue a claim for damages before the courts of a Member State.
