On December 20, 2023, the Federal Competition Authority (BWB) filed a request for a fine against Riegerbau GmbH at the Cartel Court. This action followed the company's acknowledgment of its involvement in cartel activities, which was facilitated by the Bundeskartellanwalt.

During the proceedings, Riegerbau's cooperation with the BWB was noted to be less extensive compared to other cartel participants, which influenced the final fine amount. The Cartel Court fully supported the BWB's request, resulting in a fine of EUR 43,000.

The court confirmed allegations of price-fixing, market division, and the exchange of sensitive competitive information between Riegerbau and other competitors, specifically related to various construction projects in the facade sector during 2017 in Vienna.

The investigation was initiated based on telephone surveillance conducted by the Vienna Criminal Police in 2017, which revealed systematic illegal agreements during bidding processes for facade construction services. The BWB, in collaboration with the police, conducted searches at multiple companies in the facade construction industry in 2019.

This case marks the first investigation by the BWB based on recorded phone conversations following a legislative amendment regarding official assistance. The successful investigation was attributed to the strong cooperation with the Vienna Criminal Police.

In total, fines amounting to EUR 160,000 have been imposed on various companies involved in the facade construction cartel, including NFS Bau GmbH and Simsek Bau GmbH.