Leniency

Leniency (programme) in the European Union Law

Concept of Leniency (programme) provided by the “Glossary of terms used in EU competition policy” (Antitrust and control of concentrations, published in 2002): General term for the total or partial reduction of fines applied to firms that cooperate with antitrust authorities in cartel investigations.

The current leniency programme of the Commission is the 2002 notice on immunity from fines and reduction of fines in cartel cases, which replaces the 1996 notice on the non-imposition or reduction of fines in cartel cases.

(See: OJ C 45, 19.2.2002; the new notice is also available on the web site of Competition DG at http://europa.eu.int/comm/competition/antitrust/leniency.)