Brussels fines paraffin wax cartel

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Series Details 2.10.08
Publication Date 02/10/2008
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The European Commission imposed October 2008 a total of €676m fines on 9 groups - ENI, ExxonMobil, Hansen & Rosenthal, Tudapetrol, MOL, Repsol, Sasol, , RWE and Total - for participating in a cartel for paraffin wax in the European Economic Area (EEA) in violation of the EC Treaty’s ban on cartels and restrictive business practices (Article 81) between 1992 and 2005. Shell also participated in the cartel but was not fined because it revealed the existence of the cartel to the Commission. The infringement committed by ExxonMobil, Sasol, Shell, RWE and Total also related to slack wax sold to end-customers on the German market. Slack wax is the raw material used to produce paraffin wax. All participants fixed prices for the products concerned. ExxonMobil, MOL, Repsol, Sasol, Shell and Total in addition allocated markets and customers for paraffin waxes. The fine for Sasol was increased by 50% because it was the leader of the cartel. The fine for ENI was increased by 60% as it had been previously taking part in similar cartels.

Related Links
European Commission: Press Release: IP/08/1434: Antitrust: Commission fines wax producers € 676 million for price fixing and market sharing cartel http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/08/1434&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en
BBC News, 1.10.08: 'Paraffin mafia' is fined £535m http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7646408.stm
EurActiv, 2.10.08: Brussels slaps massive fines on 'mafia' of energy majors http://www.euractiv.com/en/competition/brussels-slaps-massive-fines-mafia-energy-majors/article-175955

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