China fines Mercedes-Benz $57m

Jiangsu province has announced a 350 million yuan ($57.1 million) fine on Mercedes-Benz, and 7.87 million yuan fine on some of its dealerships for their monopolies in finished vehicles and auto parts.

江苏省日前宣布对梅赛德斯-奔驰公司生产的汽车和零部件涉及的垄断行为罚款3.5亿元（5710万美元），对部分经销商罚款787万元。

Jiangsu Provincial Price Bureau announced Thursday that Mercedes-Benz and the dealerships in Jiangsu province entered into monopoly agreements that violated the Chinese Anti-monopoly Law.

江苏省物价局周四宣布，梅赛德斯-奔驰和江苏境内经销商达成的垄断协议触犯了中国的反垄断法。

The German luxury carmaker said in its written reply that "Mercedes-Benz fully respects and accepts the findings and punishment decision, and will comply immediately.

这家德国豪车生产商发表文章称“梅赛德斯-奔驰完全尊重并接受调查结果和处罚决定，并将立即遵照执行。”

"At the same time, we have developed, through a comprehensive self-examination, a series of targeted reform measures guided by the law enforcement authorities. Having drawn important lessons from this, we will ensure strict compliance with relevant laws, strengthening the legal and regulatory controls within our company, dealer network, and various business divisions to resolutely ensure that these issues do not arise again."

“与此同时，我们也通过全面自查制定了一系列有针对性的整改方案，并已获得相关执法机构的认可。我们今后将引以为戒，严格依照相关法律，在公司内部、经销商网络，以及各个业务环节加强法律规范和监管，坚决杜绝此类情况再次发生。”

The bureau said from January 2013 to July 2014, the company forced the floor prices of Mercedes-Benz E-Class, S-Class finished cars through phones, verbal notices, or dealer meetings. The company also warned of reducing the support to dealers who did not comply with the price-fixing.

物价局表示，2013年1月至2014年7月，奔驰公司通过电话、口头通知或者召开经销商会议的形式，限制E级、S级整车的最低转售价格。对不执行限价政策的经销商进行警告，表示会减少政策支持。

The carmaker also organized regional dealer meetings and entered the price fixing agreement of some auto parts with dealers from Suzhou since November 2010, and with dealers from Wuxi and Nanjing, capital of Jiangsu province, from January 2014..

奔驰汽车的苏州经销商自2010年11月起,南京、无锡两地经销商自2014年1月起,在奔驰公司组织下多次召开区域会议,达成并实施了固定部分配件价格的垄断协议。

Mercedes-Benz has lead and impelled the monopoly practices, so it was fined with 7 percent of its last year’s sales revenue in the related market. The dealers were fined with 1 percent. The price bureau mitigated or waived the fines to those dealers who provided critical proofs.

奔驰公司主导并推动了垄断行为，因此对奔驰公司处以上一年度相关市场销售额7%的罚款。对经销商处以上一年度相关市场销售额1%的罚款。其中对提供重要证据的经销商,依法免除处罚或者从轻处罚。

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来源:China Daily 英语新闻爱语吧作者:孙梦光