Finnish Competition Authority requests a response from Stora Enso concerning alleged price collabora
STORA ENSO OYJ Stock Exchange Release 5 April 2006 at 14.30
Finnish Competition Authority requests a response from Stora
Enso concerning alleged price collaboration in wood procurement
in Finland
Stora Enso has today received from the Finnish Competition
Authority a request for a response concerning alleged price
collaboration and exchange of information between forest
companies in connection with the purchasing of timber in
Finland. At this time, Stora Enso will investigate the matter
and intends to provide its response within the given time limit.
The Finnish Competition Authority has requested the response by
15 May 2006.
The Finnish Competition Authority alleges that UPM-Kymmene,
Stora Enso and Metsäliitto have engaged in illegal price
collaboration and exchange of information in connection with the
purchasing of timber in the period from 1997 to 2004 in
violation of the Finnish Act on Competition Restrictions and
Article 81 of the European Community Treaty.
According to the information received from the Finnish
Competition Authority, it will decide whether to take the matter
to the Finnish Market Court when it has received the responses
from all the companies involved in this matter. As a result of
this and because Stora Enso cannot estimate the amount of any
fine that may be imposed as a result of the Finnish Competition
Authoritys request , it has not made any provision in its
accounting.
For further information, please contact:
Jyrki Kurkinen, Senior Vice President, Legal Affairs, tel. +358
2046 21217
Kari Vainio, Executive Vice President, Corporate Communications,
tel. +44 77 9934 8197
www.storaenso.com
www.storaenso.com/investors
STORA ENSO OYJ
p.p. Jussi Siitonen Jukka Marttila