UK Competition and Markets Authority finds cartel in construction

This may not come as a surprise to anyone working in this area of practice, but the CMA has provisionally found guilty two companies operating in the construction sector, specifically in the pre-cast concrete drainage sector. These two companies have admitted being part of a cartel whereas a third one is also under investigation but has not admitted any wrongdoing.

Stanton Bonna and CPM together had 90% plus of the market from 2010 and have agreed to pay fines as part of their settlement for their price coordination practice.

It remains to be seen if the companies will be debarred from future public contracts based on Reg. 59 PCR 2015/Art. 59(4) of Directive 2014/24/EU but I suspect the grounds are too narrow to allow for such interpretation.