The Autorité de la concurrence fines Nexans and Sonepar for colluding on the granting of exclusive import rights for Nexans electrical cables in all the French overseas departments and regions

The Autorité de la concurrence has fined Nexans France, as perpetrator, and Nexans, as parent company, on the one hand, and companies in the Sonepar group (Sonepar France Distribution, Compagnie Réunionnaise de Distribution de Matériel Électrique, Société Guadeloupéenne de Matériel Électrique, Câbles et Matériels Électriques, La Guyanaise de Distribution and Électro Distribution Océan Indien), as perpetrators, and Sonepar France Distribution, Sonepar France and Sonepar, as parent companies, on the other hand, for colluding, from 13 May 2015 to 20 November 2023, on the granting, by companies in the Nexans group to companies in the Sonepar group, of exclusive import rights for Nexans electrical cables in all the French overseas departments and regions (départements et régions d’outre-mer – DROM; i.e. Martinique, Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Réunion and Mayotte).

The practices came to light following an investigation report by the Directorate General for Competition Policy, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control (DGCCRF), information provided by a whistleblower, and dawn raids. This decision is the first by the Autorité sanctioning practices reported by a person under the whistleblower framework, whose anonymity is protected.

The companies did not contest the alleged facts and were therefore eligible for the settlement procedure, under which companies that do not contest the facts receive a fine within a range proposed by the General Rapporteur and accepted by the parties.

As a result, the Autorité has imposed a total fine of €6.5 million (€3 million on Nexans group companies and €3.5 million on Sonepar group companies), the highest fine imposed to date for exclusive import rights.