188 / 469
NEWSLETTER 2011
174
Commission Opens Antitrust Proceedings against European
Cement Manufacturers
1
*
Att. Dr. Meltem Küçükayhan Aşcıoğlu
The European Commission has launched an antitrust investigation
concerning cement producers of Member States in relation to their
suspected anticompetitive practices in Austria, Belgium, the Czech
Republic, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Spain,
and the UK.
Facts
The Commission has opened an investigation into a number of
cement companies active in the EU. The companies are suspected of
illegal price fixing, market participation and restriction of importation
and exportation. The Commission did not identify any company by name
during the investigation.
2
1
Preliminary Assessment and Investigation
The Commission has directed a preliminary assessment to several
cement producers regarding their suspected market practices and arrived
at the conclusion that such practices will be pursued in an investigation.
The Commission’s inspections have also been carried out at the premises
of companies in several Member States such as Germany, France,
UK, Belgium, the Netherlands, Italy, Luxembourg, and Spain.
3
2
The
Commission officials, accompanied by their national counterparts from
relevant National Competition Authorities, carried out unannounced
inspections at the premises of companies active in the cement and related
products market in several Member States on November 4-5, 2008.
*
Article of January 2011
1
Cemex had already been named as one of the companies concerned. The French group Lafarge
and the Swiss cement company Holcim were also confirmed to be part of investigation.
HeidelbergCement and Dyckerhoff were also confirmed to be among the suspects.
2
The fact that the European Commission carries out such inspections does not mean that the
companies are guilty of anti-competitive behavior nor does it prejudge the outcome of the
investigation itself.