Press Release: Antitrust: Commission fines producers of high voltage power cables € 302 million for operating a cartel

On 2 April 2014, the European Commission announced that 11 producers of underground and submarine high voltage power cables operated a cartel, and imposed fines totalling €301 639 000.

Such cables are typically used to connect generation capacity to the electricity grid or to interconnect power grids in different countries. From 1999 onwards and for almost ten years, these companies shared markets and allocated customers between themselves on an almost worldwide scale. Part of this plan was to allocate important high voltage power cable projects in the European Economic Area (EEA), including large infrastructure and renewable energy projects such as offshore wind farms.

• Primary Source

European Commission: Competition: Antitrust: Fines http://ec.europa.eu/competition/antitrust/legislation/fines.html

European Commission: DG Competition: Antitrust: Regulations: Regulation 1/2003 http://ec.europa.eu/competition/antitrust/legislation/regulations.html

ESO: Background information: The Commission revises its Guidelines for setting fines in antitrust cases http://www.europeansources.info/record/the-commission-revises-its-guidelines-for-setting-fines-in-antitrust-cases/

ESO: Background information: Commission proposes concrete measures to deliver EU aid better and faster http://www.europeansources.info/record/press-release-commission-proposes-concrete-measures-to-deliver-eu-aid-better-and-faster/

European Commission: RAPID: SPEECH/14/278: Introductory remarks on two cartel decisions: Power Cables and Steel Abrasives http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_SPEECH-14-278_en.pdf

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