Memo: Competition: Commission welcomes Court of First Instance judgment in carbonless paper cartel case

The European Commission welcomes the 26 April 2007 judgments by the European Court of First Instance dismissing the actions by nine producers of carbonless paper against the Commission’s decision in December 2001 fining ten producers for a Europe-wide carbonless paper cartel (cases T-109/02, T-118/02, T-122/02, T-125/02, T-126/02, T-128/02, T-129/02, T-132/02 and T-136/02). The Court of First Instance confirmed the existence and duration of the cartel and the fines imposed on seven companies. The CFI, however, reduced the level of fine imposed on Arjo Wiggins Appleton PLC from € 184.27 million to €141.75 million and on Papelera Guipuzcoana de Zicuñaga SA from €1.54 million to €1.309 million. The total fine imposed by the Commission was €313.7 million; following the CFI judgement that has been reduced to €270.9. 86% of the fine has therefore been maintained.