フローラホランド（オランダ花市場）の月次ニュースで、マレーシアの花産業のことに触れられていた。わたし自身はしばらく現地に行っていないが、いまや日本にとって、マレーシアのマムは主要な輸入アイテムに成長している。オランダがこのニュースを取り上げることは意外だった。
8月22日付のニュースのタイトルは、”Malaysian Flower Growers Face Action for Price-Fixing”（「マレーシアン生産者が独禁法違反（談合価格）で訴えられる可能性が」）である。要するに、マレーシアの生産者に、談合行為の疑いがかけられているという記事である（原文をコピーして貼り付ける）。
もし事実だとしたら、日本の輸入業者（卸市場）にとっても、価格面でネガティブな影響があることになる。つまり、国内花市場でも談合の疑いがかけられることになる。日本の政策当局（農水省）は、この点について、どのように考えているのだろうか？
そもそも、オランダから来たこの情報は、日本の花業界は把握しているのだろうか？もしご存知のかた（輸入業者か卸売市場の関係者）がいらしたら、知らせていただけないだろうか？
事実関係についての追加情報をお願いします！
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FloraHolland (22 August 2012) – Malaysia is ready to make its first decision on anti-competitive behaviour under the Competition Act 2010, which came into force on January 1. The Malaysia Competition Commission (MyCC) is investigating the Cameron Highlands Floriculturist Association (CHFA) for price-fixing.
Any move to fix prices and restrict competition in the market is against the law. Based on the findings, the commission has made what it calls a “proposed decision” — a notice to the affected party listing out the facts and the penalty that could be imposed.
MyCC’s chief executive officer Shila Dorai Raj said that it initiated investigations based on a news report in March. The article, quoting CHFA’s president, said that its members had agreed to increase prices by 10 per cent.CHFA has over 100 members who sell their flowers to distributors and wholesalers in Malaysia. MyCC is the body tasked with the job of investigating instances of cartels and abuse of the dominant position in the market. “We will provide the ‘proposed decision’ to the affected party,” Shila said. This will allow CHFA the chance to comment or refute it. “Essentially, a ‘proposed decision’ is almost final unless the party can rebut it,” Shila said.
Although the act came into force this year, the industry was given an 18-month lead time to prepare. Shila said MyCC was taking a “soft approach” in this case but warned that the decision nevertheless served as a warning that price-fixing was against the law.
MyCC, she said, would continue to monitor the activities of all trade associations, including professional bodies, to ensure that they do not indulge in activities which could stifle competition among them and violate the Competition Act. Any violation may result in a financial penalty of not more than 10 per cent of the worldwide turnover of an enterprise over the period of an infringement.
Source: NewStraitsTime 07/08/2012
