98/190/EC: Commission Decision of 14 January 1998 relating to a proceeding under Article 86 of the EC Treaty (IV/34.801 FAG - Flughafen Frankfurt/Main AG) (Only the German text is authentic) (Text with EEA relevance)

Article 1

Flughafen Frankfurt/Main AG (FAG) has abused its dominant position in breach of Article 86 of the EC Treaty by denying, without objective justification, potential third-party handlers access to the ramp and airport users the right to self-handle, thereby reserving for itself the market for the provision of ramp-handling services at Frankfurt airport. This finding does not apply to the eastern part of Pier B, from Gate B2 to Gate B42, nor to Pier C up to Gate C15, where FAG's monopoly is objectively justifiable.

Article 2

FAG shall bring the infringement referred to in Article 1 to an end.

For that purpose, FAG shall submit to the Commission within three months of the notification of this Decision a precise plan for the reorganisation of the market for the provision of ramp-handling services at Frankfurt airport so as to open up market access for air carriers and independent providers of ramp-handling services.

Article 3

This Decision is addressed to:
Flughafen Frankfurt/Main AG
Flughafen Frankfurt
D-60547 Frankfurt am Main
Done at Brussels, 14 January 1998.
For the Commission
Karel VAN MIERT
Member of the Commission
(1) OJ 13, 21. 2. 1962, p. 204/62.
(2) OJ 127, 20. 8. 1963, p. 2268/63.
(3) OJ L 272, 25. 10. 1996, p. 36.
(4) OJ C 335, 6. 11. 1997, p. 7.
(5) Information provided orally by FAG.
(6) Source: Fraunhofer-Institut für Materialfluß und Logistik, 27. 6. 1997, p. 17.
(7) NACO, presentation at the oral hearing. Former NACO studies came to other figures ranging from approximately 130 000 m²
to approximately 148 000 m²
. NACO also implicitly considered that the total space available depends on market conditions (i.e. monopoly or competition).
(8) NACO 14. 5. 1997 and presentation at the oral hearing.
(9) NACO 14. 5. 1997, p. 11.
(10) Fraunhofer 27. 6. 1997, p. 41 and Annex 15.
(11) Fraunhofer 27. 6. 1997, pp. 38, 41 and oral presentation, chart p. 8.
(12) Source: Penwarden report, April 1995.
(13) Source: Cranfield report, June 1997.
(14) Source: Oral hearing, see report p. 43.
(15) NACO 14. 5. 1997, p. 19 - unless otherwise stated, all the figures quoted in this paragraph refer to this source.
(16) NACO 27. 10. 1995, pp. 32-33.
(17) NACO 14. 5. 1997, p. 2 - unless otherwise stated, all the figures quoted in this paragraph refer to this source.
(18) NACO 27. 10. 1995, p. 7.
(19) Fraunhofer 27 June 1997, last Annex.
(20) FAG letter of 16 May 1997.
(21) NACO 18. 6. 1994, p. 50.
(22) NACO 17. 2. 1995, p. 44.
(23) [1991] ECR I-5889.
(24) [1991]ECR 3261.
(25) [1991] ECR II-1439, at paragraphs 65 to 69.
(26) [1985] ECR 3261.
(27) [1991] ECR I-5941, at paragraph 24.
(28) [1992] ECR I-5833, at paragraph 36.
(29) Estimate by Cranfield, ref. paragraphs 34 and 35.
(30) Estimate by NACO ± correction, ref. paragraphs 36 to 39.
(31) Estimate by Fraunhofer, ref. paragraphs 32 and 33.
(32) Estimate by NACO, ref. paragraphs 32 and 33.
(33) Estimate by Cranfield ± correction, ref. paragraphs 45 and 46.
(34) NACO 27. 10. 1995 pp. 32-33.
(35) NACO 14. 5. 1997, p. 2.
(36) NACO 27. 10. 1995, p. 5.
(37) Source: Cranfield report, June 1997, p. 15.
(38) NACO 14. 5. 1997, p. 2.
(39) Fraunhofer 27 June 1997, last Annex.
(40) Case IV/34.801: FAG's observations on the Commission's statement of objections, p. 44.
(41) Case IV/34.801: FAG's observations on the Commission's statement of objections, p. 21.
(42) [1979] ECR 3727, paragraphs 17 ff.
(43) [1985] ECR 3261.
(44) [1993] ECR I-2533.
(45) [1994] ECR I-1477.
(46) [1974] ECR 313, at paragraphs 19, 20 and 23.
(47) [1985] ECR 873, at paragraph 30.
(48) [1993] ECR I-2533, at paragraph 19.
(49) 'die Freistellungsentscheidung wird gegenüber dem Flughafen Frankfurt wegen der damit verbundenen Rechtsfolgen erst dann wirksam, wenn die Zustimmung der Kommission vorliegt`, notice of the Federal German Government to the Commission, dated 29 September 1997.

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