EUR-Lex - 31973D0109 - EN

Article 1

(1) It is found that the following infringements of Article 85 (1) of the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community have been committed: 1. Eridania, Societè di Zuccherifici, Cavarzere-Produzioni Industriali, Società Italiana per l'Industria degli Zuccheri, Romana Zucchero, Zuccherificio del Volano, Agricola Industriale Emiliana (AIE), SADAM, Zuccherificio di Sermide, on the one hand, and Sucres & Denrées, Béghin, Sucre-Union, Say, Générale Sucrière, Lebaudy-SUC, Raffinerie Tirlemontoise and Süddeutsche Zucker AG, on the other, have committed, since the end of the marketing year 1968/69 infringements of Article 85 (1) by engaging in a concerted practice having as its object and effect the control of deliveries of sugar on the Italian market and consequently the protection of that market.

1. Suiker Unie and the Centrale Suiker Maatschappij ; on the one hand, and the Raffinerie Tirlemontoise and Pfeifer and Langen, on the other, have since the marketing year 1968/1969 (Pfeifer and Langen only since the marketing year 1970/71) committed infringements of Article 85 (1) by engaging in a concerted practice having as its object and effect the control of sugar deliveries on the Dutch market from Belgium and the Western part of Germany and consequently the protection of that market.

1. Pfeifer and Langen, on the one hand, and the Raffinerie Tirlemontoise, on the other, have committed for marketing years 1968/69 onwards infringements of Article 85 (1) by engaging in a concerted practice having as its object and effect control of deliveries of Belgian sugar on the market of the Western part of Germany and consequently protection of that market.

1. Süddeutsche Zucker AG and Franken, on the one hand, and Béghin and Sucre-Union, on the other, have from the marketing year 1970/71 onwards committed infringements of Article 85 (1) by engaging in a concerted practice which had as its object and effect control of deliveries of French sugar on the market of the Southern part of Germany and consequently protection of that market.

(2) It is found that the following measures which have been judged in the context of the abovementioned practices, constitute in themselves infringements of Article 86 or Article 85 (1) of the Treaty: 1. The Raffinerie Tirlemontoise has from the marketing year 1968/69 onwards committed an infringement of Article 86 by exercising economic pressure on Belgian exporters to oblige them to restrict their exports;

1. Suiker Unie and Centrale Suiker Maatschappij during the marketing year 1969/70 committed infringements of Article 86 by exerting economic pressure on Dutch importers to oblige them to restrict their imports;

1. Südzucker Verkaufs GmbH have from the marketing year 1968/69 onwards committed infringements of Article 86 by preventing its agents from re-selling sugar from other sources and by tying its clients through granting fidelity rebates;

1. The Westdeutsche Zuckervertriebsgesellschaft and Pfeifer and Langen have from the marketing year 1968/69 onwards committed infringements of Article 85 (1) by concluding agreements with their agents which restrict their opportunities for importing and exporting within the Community.

Article 2

The abovementioned undertakings are required to put an end immediately to the infringements found as aforesaid.

Article 3

1. The following fines are imposed: (a) on the Raffinerie Tirlemontoise, a fine of 1 500 000 (one million five hundred thousand) units of account, that is Bfrs 75 000 000 (seventy-five million);

(b) on Sucres & Denrées, a fine of 1 000 000 (one million) units of account, that is FF 5 554 190 (five million five hundred and fifty-four thousand, one hundred and ninety);

(c) on the Société des Raffineries et Sucreries Say, a fine of 500 000 (five hundred thousand) units of account, that is FF 2 777 095 (two million seven hundred and seventy-seven thousand and ninety-five);

(d) on the Société F. Béghin SA, a fine of 700 000 (seven hundred thousand) units of account, that is FF 3 887 933 (three million eight hundred and eighty-seven thousand nine hundred and thirty-three);

(e) on Générale Sucrière SA, a fine of 400 000 (four hundred thousand) units of account, that is FF 2 221 676 (two million two hundred and twenty-one thousand six hundred and seventy-six);

(f) on Eridania Zuccenfio Nazionali SpA, a fine of 1 000 000 (one million) units of account, that is Lit 625 000 000 (six hundred and twenty-five million);

(g) on Società Italiana per l'Industria degli Zuccheri SpA, a fine of 300 000 (three hundred thousand) units of account, that is Lit 187 500 000 (one hundred and eighty-seven million five hundred thousand);

(h) on Cavarzare-Produziono Industriali, a fine of 200 000 (two hundred thousand) units of account, that is Lit 125 000 000 (one hundred and twenty-five million);

(i) on Agricola Industriale Emiliana (AIE) SpA, a fine of 100 000 (one hundred thousand) units of account, that is Lit 62 500 000 (sixty-two million five hundred thousand);

(j) on Zuccherificio del Volano SpA, a fine of 100 000 (one hundred thousand) units of account, that is Lit 62 500 000 (sixty-two million five hundred thousand);

(k) on SADAM SpA, a fine of 100 000 (one hundred thousand) units of account, that is Lit 62 500 000 (sixty-two million five hundred thousand);

(l) on Cooperative Vereniging Suiker Unie UA, a fine of 800 000 (eight hundred thousand) units of account, that is 2 896 000 (two million eight hundred and ninety-six thousand) Dutch guilders;

(m) on Centrale Suiker Maatschappij NV, a fine of 600 000 (six hundred thousand) units of account, that is FL 2 172 000 (two million one hundred and seventy-two thousand);

(n) on Pfeifer and Langen, a fine of 800 000 (eight hundred thousand) units of account, that is DM 2 928 000 (two million nine hundred and twenty-eight thousand);

(o) on Süddeutsche Zucker AG, a fine of 700 000 hundred thousand) units of account, that is DM 2 562 000 (two million five hundred and sixty-two thousand);

(p) on Südzucker Verkauf GmbH, a fine of 200 000 (two hundred thousand) units of account, that is DM 732 000 (seven hundred and thirty-two thousand);

1. This Decision is enforceable in accordance with Article 192 of the EEC Treaty as regards the undertakings on which a fine has been imposed.

Article 4

This Decision is addressed to the following undertakings: - Raffinerie Tirlemontoise SA 182, Avenue de Tervueren 1040 Brussels

• NV Centrale Suiker Maatschappij NV Herengracht 493 NL Amsterdam-C

• Cooperatieve Vereniging Suiker Unie UA Bompjes 55 NL Rotterdam

• Westdeutsche Zuckervertriebsgesellschaft mbH & Co KG D 5 Cologne 1 Rothgerberbach 5

• Pfeifer & Langen D 5 Cologne 1 Postfach 190108

• Südzucker Verkauf GmbH D 637 Oberursel Hohemarktstraße 152

• Süddeutsche Zucker AG D 68 Mannheim 1 Maximilianstraße 10, Postfach 2066

• Zuckerfabrik Franken GmbH D 8703 Ochsenfurt Marktbreitenstraße 72, Postfach 21

• Sucre-Union SA 14, rue de Bassano F 75 Paris (16e)

• Société des Raffineries et Sucreries Say 18, rue Vaneau F 75 Paris (7e)

• Société F. Béghin SA F 59 Thumeries

• Générale Sucrière SA 25, avenue Franklin D. Roosevelt F 75 Paris (8e)

• Société Nouvelle de Raffinerie Lebaudy-Sommier SA 122, avenue de Neuilly F 75 Neuilly sur Seine

• Groupement d'Intérêt Economique Lebaudy-SUC 336, rue Saint-Honoré F 75 Paris

• Sucres & Denrées SA 55, avenue Kléber F 75 Paris (16e)

• Eridania Zuccherifici Nazionali SpA Corso Podestà, 2 I 16128 Genoa

• Società Generale di Zuccherifici (Société Générale de Sucreries) 8, rue Montoyer 1040 Brussels

• Cavarzere-Produzioni Industriali Via San Fermo, 39 I Padua

• Società Italiana per l'Industria degli Zuccheri SpA Via Corsica, 19 I Genoa

• Romana Zucchero SpA Via XX Settembre, 29/4 I Genoa

• Zuccherificio del Volano SpA Via XX Settembre, 29/4 I Genoa

• Agricola Industriale Emiliana (AIE) SpA Via Indipendenza, 67 I Bologna

• SADAM SpA Piazza Galileo, 6 I Bologna

• Zuccherificio di Sermide SpA Via Polleri, 3 I Genoa

Done at Brussels, 2 January 1973.

For the Commission

The President

S.L. MANSHOLT