September 18, 2025
Brazil’s Administrative Council for Economic Defense (CADE) has fined the Fuel Transporters’ Union of Minas Gerais (Sindtanque/MG) and two individuals more than R$1.8 million ($340,000) for anti-competitive practices in the state’s fuel transportation sector.
According to CADE, the union sought to impose price adjustments on fuel transport companies and organized mobilizations to pressure fuel distributors, effectively encouraging uniform pricing conduct. The practices limited competitive negotiations that could have reduced costs for distributors and consumers.
The decision was handed down during CADE’s judgment session on Wednesday, September 17. The ruling also bars the sanctioned parties from carrying out commercial activities for five years.
Counselor José Levi, the case’s rapporteur, noted that the union misused its collective bargaining role by pressuring market players to adopt uniform pricing policies. He highlighted actions such as physical blockades at transporters and official communications demanding linear freight increases.
“While the union is entitled to advocate for better conditions on behalf of its members, strictly fixing the level of price adjustments goes beyond its legitimacy,” Levi said. “In practice, this prevents distributors from negotiating individualized commercial terms that could positively impact company costs.”
The ruling emphasized that the conduct risked harming free competition in the regional fuel transportation market. CADE also pointed out that Sindtanque/MG had been fined previously in 2014 for similar practices, making this a repeat offense.
In addition to the financial penalty, Cade ordered that the decision be forwarded to the state and federal public prosecutors’ offices in Minas Gerais for potential measures to recover damages to society.
The case was registered under Administrative Proceeding No. 08700.000211/2015-51.
