The Competition Tribunal accepted a lawsuit by the National Economic Prosecutor’s Office against all taxibus lines in the city of Valdivia (Lines N° 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 9, 11, 14, 16 and 20, “the Lines”) and their trade association (Asociación Gremial de Empresarios de Taxibuses de Valdivia, “AGETV”), given that it was proven that the defendants agreed, within AGETV, a concerted rise of ticket prices for taxibus transportation services in the city of Valdivia in May 2008, which was maintained until the beginning of July 2011, when a new price rise was agreed upon.
According to the ruling, the agreement was proven by: (i) the recognition of facts by Lines N° 2 and 14, as well as AGETV, in the partial conciliation agreements reached with the National Economic Prosecutor’s Office; (ii) sworn statements; (iii) board minutes of AGETV in which the price rises were agreed upon; (iv) the Expert Report issued by the Investigative Police which reveals the true content of AGETV’s 2011 board minutes; (v) the declaration given to the National Economic Prosecutor’s Office by the President and Treasurer of AGETV; (vi) recognition of facts; and, (vii) letters sent by the Lines to the Regional Ministerial Secretary of Región de los Ríos, indicating the start date of the price increases.
Lines N° 3, 9, 11, 16 and 20 were fined with 15 Annual Tributary Units each; Lines N° 1, 4 and 5 were fined with 10 Annual Tributary Units each. Line N° 2 was fined with 5 Annual Tributary Units, and Line N° 14 was fined with 2.5 Annual Tributary Units. AGETV was fined with 10 Annual Tributary Units.