Portugal: Competition authorities halve Galp fine

Santarém, Jan. 4 (Lusa) – The Competition Court sentenced Galp Energia to the payment of a €4.09 million fine, half that handed down by the Competition Authority in February of last year, due to restrictions the company imposed on the sale of its bottled gas over the course of recent years.

The ruling, handed down Monday, saw Judge Marta Campos rule that the company had acted negligently and not with deliberate intent as the Competition Authority had ruled and correspondingly reduced the fine.

The case refers to a ban put into effect by Galp on retailers supplying clients outside geographically defined zones and, despite having been warned as to this practice in 1997, retaining such practices in effect for well over a decade.

The judge referred to such behaviour as “highly irresponsible” even while taking into consideration how Galp Energia had no precedent in such restrictive practices and had duly cooperated with the authorities in the investigation undertaken.

The court thus halved the fines handed down last year with Galp Energia paying €3.9 million, Galp Açores €150,000 and Galp Madeira €40,000 following restrictions on the freedom to supply consumers found in 199 contracts out of the 240 analysed.

Galp Energia legal representative, Ricardo Junqueiro, told Lusa that while Monday’s ruling was “partially positive” given the “major reduction” in the overall fine, his client would be considering its further appeal options following detailed analysis of today’s decision.

MLL/KAR //KAR.

Lusa