Arkema France’s sodium chlorate price-fixing fine increased by 90 percent for being repeat offender
The European Commission has fined four chlorate paper bleach producers for allocating sales and price-fixing. EKA Chemicals, Akzo Nobel, Finnish Chemicals, Erikem Luxembourg, Arkema France, Elf Aquitaine, Aragonesas Industrias y Energia and Uralita were found to have divided the market for sodium chlorate and to have fixed the chemical’s prices, from 1994 to 2000.
The companies were fined a combined total of 73,401,000 euros. Under the leniency program Akzo Nobel and subsidiary EKA Chemicals received full immunity from fines for being the first to report the cartel to the Commission in 2003. Arkema France’s fine, on the other hand, was increased by 90 percent for being a repeat offender: it was involved in three cartels in the past, in the plastics sector. With the adjustment, Arkema France’s total fine is 59,020,000 euros. This penalty marks the first time the Commission has increased a fine by this magnitude.
Full content: EC Press Release
Related content: The Case for Antitrust Civil Penalties
Featured News
US Steel and Nippon Steel Secure International Approvals for $14.9B Merger
May 30, 2024 by
CPI
EU Watchdog Mandates Boardroom Accountability for AI in Banks
May 30, 2024 by
CPI
Senate Democrats Urge DOJ Investigation into Alleged Big Oil Collusion
May 30, 2024 by
CPI
ConocoPhillips Acquires Marathon Oil for $22.5 Billion in Major Energy Sector Consolidation
May 29, 2024 by
CPI
Judge Denies Amazon’s Bid to Dismiss FTC Lawsuit Over Prime Membership Practices
May 29, 2024 by
CPI
Antitrust Mix by CPI
Antitrust Chronicle® – Merger Guidelines Retrospective
May 21, 2024 by
CPI
Mergers of Complements
May 21, 2024 by
CPI
Personality Traits, Private Equity, and Merger Analysis
May 21, 2024 by
CPI
The 2023 Merger Guidelines: Lessons in the Importance of Incipiency, Modern Economics, and Monopsony
May 21, 2024 by
CPI
The 2023 Merger Guidelines: Sharpening Merger Analysis
May 21, 2024 by
CPI