The commission is currently gathering information on the allegations, and if enough evidence is presented, it could result in an antitrust case against various printer manufacturers, including Hewlett-Packard, Lexmark and others. If violations are found, the Competition Commission can fine companies up to 10 percent of sales.
According to David Connett, publisher of The Recycler, in addition to the EU investigation, the UK office of Fair Trading is doing an investigation into the IT market. "We're making a submission to the Office of Fair Trading and to the European Union." Connett said that decisions from the regulatory agencies weren't expected until this fall.
While commission representatives admit to receiving specific consumer complaints, the EU will examine the entire market, not just particular companies.
"We plan to examine this in detail. It's a very important market for the economy in general and consumers. This sector is relatively concentrated, and it is the role of antitrust enforcers to remain vigilant at all times," EU Competition Commissioner Mario Monti said at a news conference in May.
While some remanufacturers are pleased that the European Union is looking into the inkjet market, others worry that if the EU forces OEMs to lower inkjet cartridge prices, it will hurt the remanufacturing industry.
For more information on the investigation, including reactions from people in the industry, see the July and July Beyond issues of Recharger Magazine.
