The
European Commission has imposed a total of EUR 68 million in fines on Campine,
Eco-Bat Technologies and Recylex for their involvement in fixing prices for the
purchase of scrap automotive batteries.
Johnson
Controls, the leniency applicant, received full immunity from fines. It appears that the company started its own
investigation into suspected cartel activity after an employee reported the
activity to a compliance hotline.
The
Commission found that between 2009 and 2012 the four recycling companies fixed
purchase prices of scrap lead-acid automotive batteries in Belgium, France,
Germany, and the Netherlands. The
Commission also found that the companies were well aware of the illegal nature
of their conduct and also used code names to hide their identities.
The
infringement relates to price-coordination on the buy-side of the market, which
is unusual but not unprecedented. The
decision shows that regulators will treat collusion to reduce purchase prices
as seriously as coordination to raise selling prices.
Source: Commission press release
IP/17/245
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