SPANISH GOVERNMENT FINES OFFICE SUPPLIER $ 223,000.00

[Anonymous]

SPANISH GOVERNMENT FINES OFFICE SUPPLIER $ 223,000.00

Spanish office supplies and stationery manufacturer Grafoplas has been fined over $223,000 by the country’s competition authorities.Competition fine Grafoplas 161,200 euros for "obstructing the checks. "The Council of the National Competition Commission (CNC) has determined to fine the corporation Grafoplas Northwest, based in Culleredo (A Coruña), for "obstructing the work"of his inspectors.The offense occurred, according to a CNC, during an inspection conducted on October 27, 2010 at the headquarters of the company, which focuses, as contained in its corporate website in the manufacture of office equipment and stationery.The committee pointed out that the Law of Competition allows the staff of this organization to conduct inspections at sites of companies and business associations, and these are obliged to cooperate. Obstruction, "by any means" is a minor infraction. The company, viewed by Europa Press, has refused to comment on this.

Spanish Competition Authority (CNC) Commences Investigation Against Grafoplas Del Noroeste For Obstructing Inspection Of Documents
On 27 October 2010 officials of the Investigations Division of the CNC entered the premises of Grafoplas del Noroeste, S.A. (Grafoplas) in Culleredo (Coruña) to carry out searches in accordance with Article 40 of the Spanish Competition Act (Law 15/2007). The Investigations Division was acting in accordance with a Court order authorising the inspection.

In the course of the inspection, some documents relevant to the investigation disappeared. As a result of this, on 3 February 2011, the CNC’s Investigations Division opened proceedings against Grafoplas on the ground that the conduct described constituted an obstruction of an inspection as prohibited under Article 62.2.e) of the Spanish Competition Act.The opening of these proceedings does not pre-judge the final outcome of the investigation. The CNC now has up to a month to investigate the case and issue a decision.

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March 16, 2011 at 9:14 AM