"Europcar imposed excessive
surcharges on transactions affecting 63,012 customers, and over-charged more than $67,000," ACCC Deputy Chair Mick Keogh said.
Two of the
surcharges are the Neelum-Jhelum
Surcharge at a rate of 10 paisa per unit, aimed to generate about Rs7.5bn per annum, and Financing Cost
Surcharge at a rate of 43 paisa per unit, to ensure collection of Rs30-32bn for debt servicing of the Power Holding Private Limited.
Last week while hearing on the petition of Ministry of Energy, Chairman NEPRA Tariq Sadozai reserved the judgment on the continuation of Rs107 billion monthly
surcharges on electricity consumers.
The draft revision to the Labour Code increasing the
surcharges is already in parliament, in the second reading.
"Its very important when merchants are going to
surcharge that they are aware of the state laws and statutes and the card network rules," said Dean Middleton, president of United TranzActions.
A tobacco
surcharge is allowed under the Affordable Care Act.
Last week, the Lahore High Court had set aside the levying of equalization
surcharge and debt servicing
surcharge but the government convened a meeting of the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) and imposed the two new
surcharge, thus sending inflated bills to consumers.
Forwarders and shippers have called for the end of
surcharges for years, partly because their complex structure makes it hard to quote a definite price for customers, and partly because forwarders' do not receive commissions on the added
surcharges.
The bench after recording initial arguments stopped the recovery of
surcharges and sought a reply from Government and NEPRA till January 13.
Starting in October, the airline's system of collecting
surcharges on fuel prices is being reviewed every two months to reflect market changes.
The carrier's transatlantic fuel
surcharges, for shipments from the US to Europe, Africa and the Middle East, will be reduced from USD1.20 to USD1.10 per kilogram.
In letter to BA chairman, commercial director Mar tin George, says: "There may have been inappropriate conversations in violation of company policy in relation to long-haul fuel
surcharges".
