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Maximum fine for over decade-long cartel

26/03/2026, 15:02

A €146 million fine has been imposed on Strabag for its role in Austrian cartel activity spanning 15 years. It is the largest fine in an investigation that has so far penalised 17 construction firms.

Austrian construction giant Strabag has been fined €146 million, the maximum possible penalty, for its involvement in widespread cartel activity in Austria between 2002 and 2017.

The competition authority AFCA discovered that Strabag had withheld information about three additional cartel-related construction projects while acting as a leniency applicant in the case. The new fine adds around €100 million to a previous penalty of €45 million imposed in 2021, GCR reports.

A total of 17 Austrian construction firms have now been fined as part of AFCA’s cartel investigation, which began in 2017 and covers thousands of projects across road and civil engineering. Combined fines exceed €192 million, with Strabag accounting for the largest single share.

Strabag says it will accept the ruling to avoid a prolonged legal process and is maintaining its earnings guidance for 2025 and 2026.

The company operates globally, with major projects in Germany, the UK, Canada, Asia and the Nordics.

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