Judgment of the General Court of 29 September 2021 – Nichicon Corporation v Commission

(Case T-342/18) ¹

(Competition – Agreements, decisions and concerted practices – Market for aluminium electrolytic capacitors and tantalum electrolytic capacitors – Decision finding an infringement of Article 101 TFEU and Article 53 of the EEA Agreement – Price coordination throughout the EEA – Concerted practice – Exchanges of sensitive business information – Territorial jurisdiction of the Commission – Restriction of competition by object – Statement of objections – Point 13 of the 2006 Guidelines on the method of setting fines – Value of sales – Obligation to state reasons – Proportionality – Equal treatment – Single and continuous infringement – Gravity of the infringement – Public distancing – Mitigating circumstances – Unlimited jurisdiction)

Language of the case: English

Parties

Applicant: Nichicon Corporation (Kyoto, Japan) (represented by: A. Ablasser-Neuhuber, F. Neumayr, G. Fussenegger and H. Kühnert, lawyers)

Defendant: European Commission (represented by: B. Ernst, T. Franchoo, C. Sjödin and F. van Schaik, acting as Agents)

Re:

Application under Article 263 TFEU for, primarily, annulment of Commission Decision C(2018) 1768 final of 21 March 2018 relating to a proceeding under Article 101 [TFEU] and Article 53 of the EEA Agreement (Case AT.40136 – Capacitors), in so far as it concerns the applicant, and, in the alternative, a reduction in the amount of the fine imposed on the applicant by that decision.

Operative part of the judgment

The Court:

Dismisses the action;

Orders Nichicon Corporation to bear its own costs and to pay those incurred by the European Commission.

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¹ OJ C 294, 20.8.2018.