Reinforcing bar cartel decision re-adopted by Commission
The Commission has announced that it has re-adopted the decision which saw eight cartel participants fined over €83 million. This decision follows the annulment of its previous decision by the Court of First Instance due to procedural irregularities.
The original cartel decision imposed fines on Alfa Acciai, Ferriere Nord, Feralpi, IRO, Leali, Lucchini, Riva Fire and Valsabbia for fixing prices in the reinforcing bars sector in Italy from December 1989 to May 2000. However, this decision was adopted on the basis of the expired European Coal and Steel Community Treaty and could not, therefore, stand as the legal foundation of the Commission’s decision. As a consequence the Commission has made a new decision based on the current competition regime.
With one exception, all of the fines imposed are the same as those in the 2002 decision and the Commission was keen to stress that this case sends a clear message to cartel participants that they cannot escape fines for procedural reasons.
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