The EC has reinstated a reduced fine on Bolloré for participating in price-fixing and market-sharing agreements in the carbonless paper market. The fine had been set aside by the ECJ on procedural grounds. The reduction is intended to take account of Bolloré’s cooperation.
Category Archives: Cartel Activity
ECJ Upholds Platerboard Cartel Fine Increase
July 26, 2010 – 2:01 pm
On 17 June, 2010, the European Court of Justice upheld the EC’s decision to increase by 50% the November 2002 fine imposed on the French cement firm Lafarge for participating in a cartel on the plasterboard market. The Court held that the increase was justified by the defendant’s repeated infringements of the law.
Jury Rules for Mack Truck in Dealer Conspiracy Case
June 16, 2010 – 2:22 pm
Update June 2010: The Third Circuit rejected the dealer’s appeal on grounds that the court admitted irrelevant prejudicial evidence. In an Eastern District of Pennsylvania case, a Mack Truck dealer alleged that Mack oversaw a conspiracy among its dealers to maintain truck prices and to discipline any dealer that, like plaintiff Toledo Mack, sought to […]
Honeywell Alarm Price Fixing Case Dismissed
May 27, 2010 – 3:33 pm
Judge Robert Patterson, Southern District of New York, dismissed without prejudice Integrated Systems complaint alleging that Honeywell had orchestrated a price-fixing conspiracy among retailers and terminated the plaintiff’s dealership when it refused to go along. The court held that allegations of complaints by competing dealers were insufficient to properly allege a conspiracy and that the […]
EC Fines DRAMS Chip Makers
May 26, 2010 – 12:07 pm
On 19 May, 2010, the EC settled a case involving 10 producers of DRAMS chips used in computers and servers, fining the parties €331,273,800. The fine was reduced by 10% because the companies’ acknowledged the facts.
EC Investigates Bale Wrap Manufacturers
May 26, 2010 – 12:02 pm
The EC inspected companies involved with bale wrap – a plastic film which is used to package silage, hay and straw. The unannouced inspections involved cartel concerns.
Marine Hose Cartel Participants Settle Private Action
May 26, 2010 – 11:42 am
Update May 2010: Manuli Ruber Industries and Sumitomo Rubber Industries have agreed to pay fines of $4.5 million and $250,000, respectively, and to cooperate with the plaintiffs in on going litigation to settle claims that they participated in the marine hose price fixing conspiracy. These deals leave only two companies remaining in the multidistrict litigation. […]
Plywood Price Fixing Conspiracy Case to Proceed
March 22, 2010 – 11:19 am
Southern District of Mississippi Judge Louis Guirola, Jr., has refused to dismiss price fixing claims against major plywood producers Georgia-Pacific, Weyerhaeuser, and Louisiana Pacific with respect to purchases of (1) plywood made after November 2004 and (2) OSB. Claims based on earlier plywood purchases were deemed barred by the expiration of the statute of limitations. […]
EC Inspects Wiring Harness Manufacturers
March 18, 2010 – 1:46 pm
On February 24, 2010, the European Commission conducted unannounced inspections at the premises of wiring harness companies for cars and other electrical distribution systems. The Commission is coordinating with other antitrust investigators.
Fines Imposed in Ice Cartel Case
March 18, 2010 – 1:06 pm
Southern District of Ohio Judge Herman Weber has imposed $9 million dollar fines on Home City Ice Co. and Artic Glacier International for conspiring to fix the price for prepackaged ice in the Detroit area. The fines constitute a significant reduction from the sentencing guidelines in response to the parties cooperation with the investigation. Reddy […]