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> The fine would have been higher, but Brussels reduced the amount by 10 percent to thank Mastercard for cooperating. I am unable to find a link to the ruling

• Someone 8y ago
  Press release: http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-19-582_en.htm http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-19-582_en.htm. It says: ”Mastercard cooperated with the Commission by acknowledging the facts and the infringements of EU competition rules. The Commission granted Mastercard a 10% fine reduction in return for this cooperation. Further information on this type of cooperation can be found on the Commission's Competition website” with a link to https://europa.eu/!XC69Qb https://europa.eu/!XC69Qb. Basically, you get a fine reduction if you promise not to appeal to the fine.
  • repolfx 8y ago
    That seems problematic. It appears to be equivalent to financial punishment for appealing a ruling. And in the EU competition law is enforced via the rule of essentially one woman and her department - competition laws are so vague that she effectively has the power to levy huge fines at will, unchecked by anything except the right to appeal, because she doesn't have to prove anything in court to begin with. If the Commission is now able to levy such massive fines and lower them if you promise not to appeal, in a binding way, then they can simply make whatever sum they pull out of thin air 10% higher, give a 10% "reduction" for cooperation, and that's effectively a second fine for appealing the first.