UAB G4S LIETUVA RESTRICTED COMPETITION WITHIN THE MARKETS OF CASH HANDLING AND CASH-IN-TRANSIT SERVICES

The Competition Council (KT) found that the actions of UAB G4S Lietuva (G4S) breached Article 5 of the Law on Competition and Article 101 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. G4S was fined 9 437 800 litas (2 733 375 euros).

The KT reopened the investigation into anticompetitive agreements within the market of cash-handling services following the decision by the Supreme Administrative Court of Lithuania (the Court). The latter obligated the KT to evaluate whether the commitments proposed by G4S could have helped the company avoid sanctions in the case concerning anticompetitive agreements whereby AB SEB bank, AB Swedbank and AB DNB bank agreed to purchase cash-handling services exclusively from G4S.

Having re-evaluated all the observed circumstances, the KT found that G4S actions inflicted serious harm on the freedom of fair competition. The authority also noted that the restrictions of competition had direct impact on the bank clients using cash-in-transit services. Having taken into consideration all the circumstances, including the gravity and duration of the infringement, the KT held that the commitments proposed by G4S could not have helped the company avoid sanctions.