Judgments (Information) nº T-368/10 of The General Court, September 16, 2013

• Resolution Date: September 16, 2013
• Issuing Organization: The General Court
• Decision Number: T-368/10

Judgment of the General Court (Fourth Chamber) of 16 September 2013 —Rubinetteria Cisal v Commission (Case T‑368/10)

Competition — Agreements, decisions and concerted practices — Bathroom fittings and fixtures markets of Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands and Austria — Decision finding an infringement of Article 101 TFEU and Article 53 of the EEA Agreement — Coordination of price increases and exchange of sensitive business information — Concept of infringement — 2002 Leniency Notice — Cooperation — 2006 Guidelines on the method of setting fines — Calculation of the fine — Inability to pay

1. Competition — Fines — Amount — Determination — Discretion of the Commission — Judicial review — Unlimited jurisdiction of the EU judicature — Scope — Limits — Compliance with general principles of law (Arts 261 TFEU and 263 TFEU; Council Regulation No 1/2003, Art. 31) (see paras 22, 126, 127)

2. Agreements, decisions and concerted practices — Concerted practice — Concept — Coordination and cooperation incompatible with the obligation on each undertaking to determine independently its conduct on the market — Exchange of information between competitors — Anti-competitive object or effect — Presumption — Conditions (Art. 101(1) TFEU) (see paras 31-37, 45, 49, 57, 72)

3. Competition — Fines — Decision imposing fines — Obligation to state reasons — Scope (Art. 296 TFEU; Council Regulation No 1/2003, Art. 23(2); Commission Notice 2006/C 210/02) (see paras 78-80)

4. Competition — Fines — Amount — Determination — Imposition of the maximum amount on an undertaking — Lower amount for other participants in the cartel — No breach of the principle of equal treatment (Art. 101(1) TFEU; Council Regulation No 1/2003, Art. 23(2); Commission Notice 2006/C 210/02) (see paras 82-85)

5. Competition — Fines — Amount — Determination — Criteria — Gravity of the infringement — Determination of the fine proportionately to the assessment factors for the gravity of the infringement (Art. 101(1) TFEU; Council Regulation No 1/2003, Art. 23(2) and (3); Commission Notice 2006/C 210/02) (see paras 87, 88)

6. Competition — Fines — Amount — Determination — Criteria — Gravity of the infringement — Mitigating circumstances — No...