The European Commission has fined Arkema (formerly Atofina), ICI, Lucite and Quinn Barlo (formerly Barlo) a total of €344.5 million for their involvement in a cartel which fixed the price of acrylic glass (otherwise known as Plexiglas, Perspex, Acrylite, Acrylplast and Lucite) in the EU between 1997 and 2002.

Two of the cartel members’ fines were increased by 50% each as they were repeat cartel offenders (Arkema and ICI). Degussa was also part of the cartel but it blew the whistle to the European Commission and received 100% immunity from cartel fines under the Commission’s leniency programme.

The total fines of €344.5 million make this the fourth largest cartel fine ever imposed by the European Commission.

Acrylic glass is used in many products including cars (headlamps, taillights, dashboards), optical media (DVDs, lenses), electronics, household appliances, baths and showers. The Commission has again, in its press release on this cartel, drawn particular attention to private claims for damages for breach of competition law. Anyone who has suffered loss as a result of this cartel e.g. by buying acrylic glass at inflated cartel prices, is entitled to bring a private claim for damages in relation to this loss against any/all of the cartel members.

For the text of the Commission’s press release, please click here.

This article was written for Law-Now, CMS Cameron McKenna's free online information service. To register for Law-Now, please go to www.law-now.com/law-now/mondaq

Law-Now information is for general purposes and guidance only. The information and opinions expressed in all Law-Now articles are not necessarily comprehensive and do not purport to give professional or legal advice. All Law-Now information relates to circumstances prevailing at the date of its original publication and may not have been updated to reflect subsequent developments.

The original publication date for this article was 05/06/2005.