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The Autorité de la concurrence sanctions price-fixing and market-sharing practices by Bureau van Dijk and Ellisphere

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Sale of access to company databases: The Autorité condemns several Bureau van Dijk Group companies and Ellisphere for price fixing and market sharing

The Autorité de la concurrence (hereinafter "the Autorité") condemns the price-fixing and market-sharing practices committed over a period of more than 30 years by Bureau van Dijk (“BvD”) and Ellisphere in the sector of the sale of subscriptions to economic intelligence and business information products.

These practices were revealed to the Autorité in July 2019 following a leniency application by Moody's Corporation (parent company of the BvD group since 2017). This procedure allows undertakings that have participated in a cartel to disclose its existence and obtain, under certain conditions, the benefit of a total or partial exemption from financial penalty. In this case, BvD and Moody's Corporation were granted a full exemption from financial penalties.

Ellisphere did not contest the objections notified to it but benefited from the settlement procedure. The Autorité imposed a penalty of €3,500,000, which is within the range set out in the settlement report.

This procedure is the first to implement the new leniency procedure resulting from Act 2020-1508 of 3 December 2020, known as the "DDADUE Act".

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