The CSU is demanding that the Federal Cartel Office conduct a swift review of possible misconduct by oil conglomerates related to setting prices for gasoline and diesel, and that appropriate penalties be applied for any wrongdoing. CSU General Secretary Martin Huber told the newspaper “Bild” (Saturday edition) that it “cannot be true that the oil conglomerates are lining their pockets at the expense of motorists during this crisis.” He asserted that the Federal Cartel Office must act quickly and that the companies must be held accountable.
Huber voiced skepticism towards those fighting disclosure requirements, noting that two oil conglomerates had brought cases before the Düsseldorf Higher Regional Court to oppose requests for information from the Cartel Office. Speaking about the issue, Huber stated, “Anyone who sues against statutory disclosure obligations obviously has something to hide. If companies are reporting record profits during a crisis, it is clear to everyone that competition is distorted. The price gouging at the gas stations must stop.”
Conversely, the Federal Cartel Office has rejected expectations of immediate price drops. Although the authority has initiated proceedings against the twelve owners of German refineries, Cartel Office President Andreas Mundt told the paper that cartel law cannot directly set or lower prices. He emphasized, “If that is what one desires, other instruments must be discussed that lie outside of cartel law.”
According to Mundt, the office’s responsibility is to consistently address excessive pricing. However, he stressed that this requires a meticulous examination of the actual costs incurred by the companies. He classified these as “complex economic and legal checks that cannot be completed within a matter of days.”
