The Return of Fuel Surcharges: Antitrust Lessons from the Past Relevant Again

Fuel surcharges have been utilized to respond to rising or unstable fuel prices and can be an effective hedge against global market conditions. But as the past has shown, fuel surcharges can and do draw heavy scrutiny from antitrust regulators and private litigants alike. This webinar will provide an overview of the lessons learned from the wave of fuel surcharge-related antitrust investigations and lawsuits from the early to mid-2000s and will give practical tips and advice on how to apply those lessons to today’s environment.
 
Topics to Be Covered

• Overview of economic conditions then and now affecting fuel costs
• Key antitrust theories of liability: price-fixing, parallel pricing, and signaling
• Landmark government investigations and private class action litigation involving fuel surcharges
• How regulators and courts assess whether fuel surcharge programs constitute unlawful coordination
• Best practices for avoiding risk
• Practical recommendations for in-house counsel and compliance officers

CLE Credit
This program is pending CLE credit in CA, CO, IL, NY, and TX. Credit hours are estimated and subject to each state’s approval and credit rounding rules. We will apply to have this program accredited in other jurisdictions upon request. CLE credit is only available for attendance at the live webinar. CLE credit is not available for viewing this program on-demand.