The European Commission this week imposed a 43-million euro fine on Opel Nederland, car giant Adam Opel’s Dutch importer, for preventing motorists from other member states from buying new cars in the Netherlands between September 1996 and January 1998.

Date: 21/09/00

The penalty follows an investigation by the Commission into complaints from customers who had attempted to buy cars in the Netherlands, where prices are substantially lower than in many EU countries. Adam Opel is the European subsidiary of General Motors.