EU regulators charge 5 lead recyclers for taking part in cartel (updated)
24/06/2015 11:27
(Adds details of charges, potential fines)
BRUSSELS, June 24 (Reuters) - European Union antitrust
regulators charged five companies on Wednesday for taking part
in a car battery recycling cartel in Belgium, France, Germany
and the Netherlands from 2009 to 2012.
The European Commission, which governs competition issues,
said it had concerns that the recycling companies participated
in a cartel aimed at fixing the purchase price for scrap
lead-acid batteries, from which lead is extracted.
The Commission did not name the five companies it had
charged.
Four of Europe's top lead recyclers, Ecobat ECOBT.UL , JCI
JCI.N , Recylex RXPA.PA and Campine CAMB.BR were
investigated by the Commission, sources told Reuters after dawn
raids by the EU competition authority in 2012.
"The (European) Commission alleges in its statement of
objections that these companies agreed or coordinated their
behaviour only in order to maintain higher profit margins," the
EU executive said in a statement.
"As a result, they may have lowered the prices paid to scrap
dealers, many of which are small and medium-sized
companies," it said, without naming the cartel members.
The Commission has now informed the five parties of the
charges against them. The companies can reply in writing or
request an oral hearing.
If the Commission subsequently concludes there is sufficient
evidence of a cartel it can impose a fine of up to 10 percent of
a company's annual worldwide turnover.
(Reporting by Foo Yun Chee, editing by Julia Fioretti)
((foo.yunchee@thomsonreuters.com; +32 2 287 6844; Reuters
Messaging: foo.yunchee.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))
Keywords: EU CARTEL/LEADBATTERY