German Cartel Office Launches Oil Refining, Wholesale Industry Probe

Germany's cartel office said Thursday it has opened a second probe into oil industry competition, including production and wholesale activities, and gasoline station deliveries.

The probe will examine the refinery sector, physical transport, the storage of crude oil and oil products, and trading activities on the wholesale oil market, the cartel office said in a press release.

"The first probe on fuel brought valuable insight into trade at gasoline stations," Federal Cartel Office President Andreas Mundt said.

"In particular, the probe uncovered price-setting patterns of companies which reveal problematic competitive practices in our view," he added.

Now the anti-trust authority is examining the competition among refining and wholesale markets.

"We'll also look more specifically at how price fluctuations in the crude oil and petroleum product markets are passed along to automobile drivers," Mr. Mundt added.

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