Global Competition Agencies Continue To Aggressively Enforce Cartel Laws -

Although some major US Department of Justice (DOJ) investigations are ending, increased international cooperation and new probes confirm expanding cartel enforcement.

As in recent years, competition authorities worldwide continued to aggressively investigate and prosecute cartel activity in 2015. The United States led the way with a total of $3.8 billion in cartel fines. The European Union countries and Japan also garnered significant fines this year, although down from last year. Taiwan imposed its largest criminal antitrust fine ever in 2015: $177 million for a cartel of capacitor manufacturers. Although the longstanding DOJ auto parts investigation is winding down in 2016, the DOJ continues its aggressive cartel enforcement in other industries. The DOJ has already opened new investigations and accelerated other investigations, including in the capacitors, resistors, other electronic components, e-commerce, financial services, and generic pharmaceuticals industries. Other countries continue to investigate and pursue various auto parts companies.