Competition Council sanctions 11 media companies. Fines exceed 3 mln euro

The Competition Council has imposed financial sanctions on 11 media companies, the fines amounting to about 3.2 million euro (14.5 million lei). Brand Programming Network, B.V. McCann-Erickson, Groupm Media Operations, Initiative Media, Mediaedgecia Romania, Mindshare Media, Opti Media, Starcom Mediavest Group, United Media Services, Zenith Media Communications are the companies affected, according to a press release of the competition authority.

The decision comes subsequent to investigations which revealed that the said companies have participated in a anti-competitive agreement having as object the elimination of competitors from media communication services market.

"Joint actions by which competing companies coordinate their commercial behavior are an infringement of the competition rules. The Competition Council took into account, however, that the companies made efforts to achieve and promote a set of principles to ensure transparency and professionalism in the media market. We believe that profession self-regulation, adapted to the specific requirements of the market, is welcome to the extent that contributes to the creation of a fair environment for all actors on the market", says Bogdan Chiritoiu, President of the Competition Council.

At present, the Competition Council is working with companies in the field, respectively with the Romanian Union of Advertising Agencies, to set principles to ensure the transparency and professionalism on this market so that the customers could benefit from best offers in terms of service quality and price.