NEWSLETTER-2020-metin

171 COMPETITION LAW The New Cartel Decision of the Competition Board* Prof. Dr. H. Ercüment Erdem Introduction The Turkish Competition Board’s (“Board”) recent decision dated 19.03.2020 and numbered 20-15/215-107 regarding the ready mix concrete producers in the Yozgat region (“Decision”), holds sig- nificant importance as it contains detailed analysis regarding numerous horizontal infringements and, particularly, “cartels.” In its Decision, the Board discussed whether the ready mix concrete producers in Yozgat infringed Article 4 of Turkish Competition Law Numbered 4054 (“Law No. 4054”) by engaging in a cartel. The following undertakings were subject of the Decision: Coşkunlar Hazır Beton İnş. Taah. San. ve Tic. A.Ş. (“Coşkunlar”), Irgatoğlu Hazır Beton Nak. San. ve Tic. Ltd. Şti (“Irgatoğlu”), Sorgun Emek Hazır Beton Madencilik Akaryakıt Nakliye Oto. İnş. Taah. Turizm San. ve Tic. Ltd. Şti. (“Sorgun Emek”), Taş Hazır Beton ve Beton Ekipmanları Nak. İnş. Taah. Harf. Petrol San ve Tic. Ltd. Şti. (Taş”), Tamer Nak. İnş. Ve İnş. Malz. Mad. Otom. San .ve Tic. Ltd. Şti. (“Tamer”), Üç Yıldırım Hazır Bet. Ve Bet. Ekipmanları İnş. San. ve Tic. Ltd. Şti. (“Üç Yıldırım”), Yozgat Güven Beton Pazarlama Nak. San. ve Tic. Ltd. Şti. (“Yozgat Güven”) and Yozgat Koç Hazır Beton Elemanları Nak. San. ve Tic. Ltd. Şti. (“Yozgat Koç”). Legal Background The legal basis of the cartel prohibition is Article 4 of the Law No. 4054 which prohibits all forms of agreements between undertak- ings, decisions by associations of undertakings and concerted prac- tices which have as their object or effect or likely effect the preven- tion, distortion or restriction of competition directly or indirectly in a particular market for goods or services. Article 4 of the Law No. 4054 does not provide a definition of “cartel”. * Article of September, 2020