The European Commission said today it believes “a number of” European companies involved in the banana trade are guilty of forming a cartel.
It said the companies were involved in the “import and marketing” of bananas in southern Europe.
The Commission, which refused to identify the companies, said they had been informed of the evidence against them. The companies are entitled to send a written response to the Commission, and can request an oral hearing to defend themselves.
The Commission said that its announcement did not “prejudge” the final outcome of its antitrust investigation into the companies.
A spokesperson for Neelie Kroes, the European commissioner for competition, said that companies involved in a banana cartel that operated between 2000 and 2002 were “potentially” also implicated in its current investigation.
That cartel was formed by the banana importers Dole, Weichert and Chiquita and operated in the markets of Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Sweden.
In October 2008, the Commission fined Dole and Weichert €60.3 million each. Chiquita was not fined because it blew the whistle on the cartel.
