Germany-based fresh produce importer Inter Weichert has revealed that it has lodged an appeal against a European Commission (EC) decision to fine the group €14.7m after violating EU antitrust rules on banana imports.
The EC fined Weichert and fellow importer Dole €60.3m in October 2008 for price fixing in violation of the European Union's anti-trust lawsbetween 1 January 2000 and December 2002.
Following a three-year investigation, EC officials had found US-based DoleFood Company and Weichert guilty of forming a cartel that colluded on pricesfor bananas in several northern European markets.
However the German group has now called on the European Court of First Instance to annul the fine, which was jointly and severally imposed on Weichert and Del Monte (the group's majority shareholder), on the grounds that the EC's decision was based on 'a series of errors of fact, as well as manifest errors of law'.
The group said that it would still be required to put up security for the fine, which is currently under discussion with Del Monte and with EC representatives.
'Inter Weichert's managing directors are confident that the European Court of First Instance will annul the EU Commission's decision and will consequently reverse the unwarranted decision against Inter Weichert,' the group said in a statement.
