Judgment of the General Court of 16 September 2013 – Keramag Keramische Werke and Others v Commission
(Joined Cases T-379/10 and T-381/10) 1
(Competition – Agreements, decisions and concerted practices – Bathroom fittings and fixtures markets of Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands and Austria – Decision finding an infringement of Article 101 TFEU and Article 53 of the EEA Agreement – Coordination of price increases and exchange of sensitive business information – Duration of the infringement – Rights of the defence – Access to the file – Attributability of unlawful conduct)
Language of the case: English
Parties
Applicants: Keramag Keramische Werke AG (Ratingen, Germany); Koralle Sanitärprodukte GmbH (Vlotho, Germany); Koninklijke Sphinx BV (Maastricht, Netherlands); Allia SAS (Avon, France); Produits Céramique de Touraine SA (Selles-sur-Cher, France); Pozzi Ginori SpA (Milan, Italy) (Case T-379/10); Sanitec Europe Oy (Helsinki, Finland) (Case T-381/10) (represented by: J. Killick, Barrister, I. Reynolds, Solicitor, and P. Lindfelt and K. Struckmann, lawyers)
Defendant: European Commission (represented by: F. Castillo de la Torre and F. Ronkes Agerbeek, acting as Agents, assisted by B. Kennelly, Barrister)
Re:
Applications for annulment in part of Commission Decision C(2010) 4185 final of 23 June 2010 relating to a proceeding under Article 101 TFEU and Article 53 of the EEA Agreement (Case COMP/39092 – Bathroom Fittings and Fixtures) and, in the alternative, for reduction of the fine imposed on the applicants by that decision.
Operative part of the judgment
The Court:
Annuls point (6) of Article 1(1) of Commission Decision C(2010) 4185 final of 23 June 2010 relating to a proceeding under Article 101 TFEU and Article 53 of the EEA Agreement (Case COMP/39092 – Bathroom Fittings and Fixtures) in so far as the European Commission finds (i) that Allia SAS and Produits Céramique de Touraine SA participated in an infringement relating to a cartel on the French market for a period from 25 February 2004 to 9 November 2004 and (ii) that Pozzi Ginori SpA participated in an infringement relating to a cartel on the Italian market for a period other than that from 14 May 1996 to 9 March 2001;
Annuls Article 2(7) of Decision C(2010) 4185 final in so far as the total amount of the fine imposed on Keramag Keramische Werke AG, Koralle Sanitärprodukte GmbH, Koninklijke Sphinx BV, Pozzi Ginori and Sanitec Europe Oy exceeds EUR 50 580 701;
Dismisses the action as to the remainder;
Orders Keramag Keramische Werke, Koralle Sanitärprodukte, Koninklijke Sphinx, Allia, Produits Céramique de Touraine, Pozzi Ginori and Sanitec Europe to bear three quarters of their own costs;
Orders the Commission to pay a quarter of the costs incurred by Keramag Keramische Werke, Koralle Sanitärprodukte, Koninklijke Sphinx, Allia, Produits Céramique de Touraine, Pozzi Ginori and Sanitec Europe and to bear its own costs.
________________________1 OJ C 301, 6.11.2010.