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Kölsch carousel yes, Kölsch cartel no - decided, of all things, Düsseldorf judges
Photo: Oliver Berg / picture alliance / dpa
When it was discovered, the beer cartel was one of the major competitive scandals.
In total, the Federal Cartel Office imposed fines of around 338 million euros in 2013 and 2014 - against eleven breweries and 14 personally responsible.
Before the Düsseldorf Higher Regional Court (OLG) it was now about the responsibility of the three Kölsch breweries Früh, Gaffel and Erzquell.
The fourth antitrust panel of the court has now acquitted the breweries and two managers of the allegation of illegal price fixing.
A court spokesman said after the verdict was announced that there were no agreements between the breweries.
Chaotic statement laments
The Federal Cartel Office had previously imposed fines of more than eight million euros on the three breweries.
On the other hand, they were brought before the OLG, in the proceedings, according to the "Kölner Stadtanzeiger", a significant reduction in the fine had already become apparent.
The court proceedings concerned the question of whether the breweries had made price agreements that were contrary to antitrust law at a meeting of the competition committee of the North Rhine-Westphalia Brewery Association in September 2007.
However, the court found no evidence of this at its testimony.
Only two of the total of 14 witnesses believed they could remember the meeting.
The memory of one was too vague for a conviction, according to the court announcement.
According to the Senate, the testimony of the other witness was "overall chaotic, characterized by bizarre mix-ups and in some cases incorrect".
In the case of the beer cartel, the competition authorities denounced price increases in 2006 and 2008.
The case has preoccupied the judiciary for years.
When it was discovered in 2013/14, the Cartel Office denounced surcharges of five to seven euros per hectolitre, according to which bottled beer should be one euro more expensive per crate.
Because of the allegations from 2006, the proceedings against the now acquitted parties had already been discontinued during the main hearing.
apr / dpa
