EU Court Upholds €3.5 Million Antitrust Fine Against Ahlers in Pierre Cardin Case
The European Union's General Court has upheld a €3.5 million antitrust fine against German clothing manufacturer Ahlers. The court rejected Ahlers' appeal regarding its involvement in restricting cross-border sales of Pierre Cardin-branded apparel across Europe. The European Commission had previously determined that Ahlers, as the largest licensee of Pierre Cardin, engaged in anti-competitive agreements that violated EU competition law. These practices were aimed at limiting parallel imports and restricting sales locations within the European Economic Area from 2008 to 2021. Ahlers contested the inclusion of its subsidiary's turnover in the fine calculation, arguing that the subsidiary had been transferred during insolvency proceedings. However, the court ruled that Ahlers and its subsidiary operated as a single economic unit, justifying the inclusion of the subsidiary's turnover. 
