Judgment of the General Court of 2 February 2012 - EI du Pont de Nemours and Others v Commission
(Case T-76/08)
(Competition - Agreements, decisions and concerted practices - Market for chloroprene rubber - Decision finding an infringement of Article 81 EC and Article 53 of the EEA Agreement - Price-fixing - Market-sharing - Imputability of the unlawful conduct - Joint venture - Guidelines on the method of setting fines - Mitigating circumstances - Cooperation)
Language of the case: English
Parties
Applicants: EI du Pont de Nemours and Company (Wilmington, Delaware, United States); DuPont Performance Elastomers LLC (Wilmington); and DuPont Performance Elastomers SA (Grand-Saconnex, Switzerland) (represented by: J. Boyce and A. Lyle-Smythe, Solicitors)
Defendant: European Commission (represented: initially by X. Lewis and V. Bottka, subsequently by V. Bottka and V. Di Bucci, and lastly by V. Bottka, S. Noë and A. Biolan, Agents)
Re:
APPLICATION for, first, annulment of Articles 1 and 2 of Commission Decision C(2007) 5910 final of 5 December 2007 relating to a proceeding under Article 81 [EC] and Article 53 of the EEA Agreement (Case COMP/38629 - Chloroprene Rubber), as amended by Commission Decision C(2008) 2974 final of 23 June 2008, in that they refer to EI du Pont de Nemours and Company and, second, a reduction in the amount of the fine imposed jointly and severally on the applicants by that decision.
Operative part of the judgment
The Court:
Dismisses the action;
Orders EI du Pont de Nemours and Company, DuPont Performance Elastomers LLC and DuPont Performance Elastomers SA to pay the costs.
____________1 - OJ C 116, 9.5.2008.