Heracles General Cement v Commission (Competition) [2000] EUECJ T-57/95 (15 March 2000)

Heracles General Cement v Commission (Competition) [2000] EUECJ T-57/95 (15 March 2000)

The Court found that the Commission Decision 94/815/EC contained errors regarding findings of participation and duration of infringement for several applicants, procedural irregularities affecting rights of defence, and unjustified fines in part. The Court annulled specific articles of the decision for each applicant where errors were found, reduced or fixed fines, and dismissed the remainder of the applications.

Citation
[2000] EUECJ T-57/95
Parties
Applicant: Cimenteries CBR; Applicant: Cembureau - Association Européenne du Ciment; Applicant: Fédération de l'Industrie Cimentière Belge; Applicant: Eerste Nederlandse Cementindustrie (ENCI); Applicant: Vereniging Nederlandse Cementindustrie (VNC); Applicant: Ciments Luxembourgeois; Applicant: Dyckerhoff; Applicant: Syndicat National de l'Industrie Cimentière (SFIC); Applicant: Vicat; Applicant: Groupe Origny; Applicant: Ciments Français; Applicant: Heidelberger Zement; Applicant: Lafarge Coppée; Applicant: Aalborg Portland; Applicant: Alsen; Applicant: Bundesverband der Deutschen Zementindustrie; Applicant: Unicem; Applicant: Fratelli Buzzi; Applicant: Compañia Valenciana de Cementos Portland; Applicant: The Rugby Group; Applicant: British Cement Association; Applicant: Asland; Applicant: Castle Cement; Applicant: Heracles General Cement Company; Applicant: Corporación Uniland; Applicant: Agrupación de Fabricantes de Cemento de España (Oficemen); Applicant: Irish Cement; Applicant: Cimpor - Cimentos de Portugal; Applicant: SECIL - Companhia Geral de Cal e Cimento; Applicant: Associação Técnica da Indústria de Cimento (ATIC); Applicant: Titan Cement Company; Applicant: Italcementi - Fabbriche Riunite Cemento; Applicant: Holderbank Financière Glarus; Applicant: Hornos Ibéricos Alba (Hisalba); Applicant: Aker RGI ASA; Applicant: Scancem (publ); Applicant: Cementir - Cementerie del Tirreno; Applicant: Blue Circle Industries; Applicant: Enosi Tsimentoviomichanion Ellados; Applicant: Tsimenta Chalkidos; Respondent: Commission
Jurisdiction
European Union
Judgment Date
15 March 2000
Procedural Posture
Joined Appeals Against Commission Decision / Final Judgment
Outcome
Partially annulled Commission Decision 94/815/EC; fines reduced or fixed for certain applicants; remainder of applications dismissed.
Legal Topics
Article 85 EC Treaty (now Article 81 Ec), Cartel, Exchange of Price Information, Concerted Practices, Procedural Rights, Fines, Trade Associations, Market Definition, Duration of Infringement
Competition Law European Union Law Article 85 EC Treaty (now Article 81 Ec) Cartel Exchange of Price Information Concerted Practices Procedural Rights Fines +3 more

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Parties

Cimenteries CBR

Applicant

Cembureau - Association Européenne du Ciment

Applicant

Fédération de l'Industrie Cimentière Belge

Applicant

Eerste Nederlandse Cementindustrie (ENCI)

Applicant

Vereniging Nederlandse Cementindustrie (VNC)

Applicant

Ciments Luxembourgeois

Applicant

Dyckerhoff

Applicant

Syndicat National de l'Industrie Cimentière (SFIC)

Applicant

Vicat

Applicant

Groupe Origny

Applicant

Ciments Français

Applicant

Heidelberger Zement

Applicant

Lafarge Coppée

Applicant

Aalborg Portland

Applicant

Alsen

Applicant

Bundesverband der Deutschen Zementindustrie

Applicant

Unicem

Applicant

Fratelli Buzzi

Applicant

Compañia Valenciana de Cementos Portland

Applicant

The Rugby Group

Applicant

British Cement Association

Applicant

Asland

Applicant

Castle Cement

Applicant

Heracles General Cement Company

Applicant

Corporación Uniland

Applicant

Agrupación de Fabricantes de Cemento de España (Oficemen)

Applicant

Irish Cement

Applicant

Cimpor - Cimentos de Portugal

Applicant

SECIL - Companhia Geral de Cal e Cimento

Applicant

Associação Técnica da Indústria de Cimento (ATIC)

Applicant

Titan Cement Company

Applicant

Italcementi - Fabbriche Riunite Cemento

Applicant

Holderbank Financière Glarus

Applicant

Hornos Ibéricos Alba (Hisalba)

Applicant

Aker RGI ASA

Applicant

Scancem (publ)

Applicant

Cementir - Cementerie del Tirreno

Applicant

Blue Circle Industries

Applicant

Enosi Tsimentoviomichanion Ellados

Applicant

Tsimenta Chalkidos

Applicant

Commission

Respondent

Procedural Posture

Joined Appeals Against Commission Decision / Final Judgment

Legal Issues

  1. 1 Whether Commission Decision 94/815/EC infringed procedural rights of applicants
  2. 2 Whether the Commission correctly found participation in cartel and concerted practices
  3. 3 Whether fines and findings were justified under Article 85 EC Treaty

Ratio Decidendi

The Court found that the Commission Decision 94/815/EC contained errors regarding findings of participation and duration of infringement for several applicants, procedural irregularities affecting rights of defence, and unjustified fines in part. The Court annulled specific articles of the decision for each applicant where errors were found, reduced or fixed fines, and dismissed the remainder of the applications.

Court Disposition

Partially annulled Commission Decision 94/815/EC; fines reduced or fixed for certain applicants; remainder of applications dismissed.

Orders

  • Joins cases for judgment.
  • Annuls specific articles of Commission Decision 94/815/EC for each applicant as detailed.