European Commission intends to allow minimum prices from manufacturers

The European Union  has published plans to allow manufacturers to set a minimum price for their products. This is currently still forbidden. This has been published as a draft guideline called the Vertical Block Exemption Regulation. In the Netherlands, vertical price fixing has been a reality for many years. All supermarkets sold the same articles at the same price. This phenomenon ceased to exist in the 1970s. Consumer price rules are regulated on a European level in cartel law and are due for renewal next year. A draft is now ready for public consultation.  The definitive rules on vertical price fixing may still change as this is still at draft stage from the European Union.