EU: EU fines car-lighting cartel €27m

The European Commission has fined Automotive Lighting and Hella a total of €26,744,000 (US$29.85 million) for participating in an automotive lighting cartel in breach of EU antitrust rules. Valeo was not fined as it revealed the cartel to the Commission. All companies have admitted their involvement and agreed to settle.

EC Commissioner Margrethe Vestager, said, “The Commission has sanctioned another cartel in the automotive sector. Three lighting producers harmed car and commercial vehicle manufacturers by colluding instead of competing against each other. Today’s decision underlines that we do not accept cartels that affect the European market.”

The cartel concerned the supply of spare lighting parts for cars to manufacturers of passenger and commercial vehicles after the end of mass production of a car model. The EC’s investigation revealed that, for more than three years, Automotive Lighting, Hella and Valeo coordinated prices and other trading conditions for the supply of vehicle lighting systems, across the European Economic Area.

The three companies met at trade fairs, on the margins of supplier days organized by customers, during customer visits, but also independently of such events and discussed quotes for tenders and negotiation strategies and exchanged information on the status of negotiations with customers regarding price increases, as well as other information.

Full Content: Europa

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