84/405/EEC: Commission Decision of 6 August 1984 relating to a proceeding under Article 85 of the EEC Treaty (IV/30.350 - zinc producer group) (Only the French, German, English and Dutch texts are authentic)

• Articles: 3

Article 1

1. The undertakings:

- Billiton Nederland BV,

- Metallgesellschaft AG,

- Société Minière et Métallurgie de Penarroya SA,

- Preussag AG,

- Rio Tinto Zinc Corporation plc, and

- Union Minière SA,

infringed Article 85 (1) of the EEC Treaty over the period 10 July 1964 until the dates given below by engaging in the following practices either directly or indirectly through undertakings dependent on or controlled or acquired by them:

- until October 1977, by agreeing a zinc producer price,

- until April 1976, by taking collective action to influence the zinc price quotation on the London Metal Exchange,

- until the autumn of 1977, by agreeing or consulting on restrictions of output and investment,

- until the end of 1976, by agreeing to keep out of each other's home markets,

and by putting such agreements into effect.

2. Metallgesellschaft and Preussag also infringed Article 85 (1) by continuing the agreements on restriction of output beyond the date given above until April 1978 and Billiton and RTZ by continuing the agreements on market sharing until April 1978.

Article 2

As a result of the infringements referred to in Article 1 (1) and (2), the following fines are hereby imposed:

(a) Billiton Nederland BV:

350 000 (three hundred and fifty thousand) ECU, that is Fl 885 157;

(b) Metallgesellschaft AG:

500 000 (five hundred thousand) ECU, that is DM 1 120 165;

(c) Société Minière et Métallurgie de Penarroya SA:

500 000 (five hundred thousand) ECU, that is FF 3 437 800;

(d) Preussag AG:

500 000 (five hundred thousand) ECU, that is DM 1 120 165;

(e) Rio Tinto Zinc Corporation plc:

500 000 (five hundred thousand) ECU, that is £ 294 758,50;

(f) Union Minière SA:

950 000 (nine hundred and fifty thousand) ECU, that is Bfrs 43 063 310. Article 3

The fines imposed under Article 2 shall be paid within three months of the date of notification of this Decision into the following accounts of the Commission of the European Communities:

(a) AMRO Bank, Amsterdam, No 41.60.95.518;

(b) and (d) Sal. Oppenheim & Cie, Cologne, No 260/00/64910;

(c) Société Générale, Paris, No 5.770.006.5;

(e) Lloyds Bank Ltd, London, No 108.63.41;

(f) Banque Bruxelles-Lambert, Brussels, No 310-0231000-32.

Article 4

The Decision is addressed to the following undertakings:

(a) Billiton Nederland BV,

PO box 436 (Dr. van Zeelandstraat 1),

NL-2260 AK Leidschendam;

(b) Metallgesellschaft AG,

Reuterweg, 14,

D-6000 Frankfurt am Main;

(c) Société Minière et Métallurgique de Penarroya,

Tour Maine-Montparnasse,

33, avenue du Maine,

F-75755 Paris Cedex 15;

(d) Preussag AG,

Leibnizufer 9,

Postfach 4827,

D-3000 Hannover 1;

(e) Rio Tinto Zinc Corporation plc,

PO box 133,

6 St James's Square,

UK-London SW1Y 4LD;

(f) Union Minière,

Avenue Louise 54,

Boîte 10,

B-1050 Bruxelles.

This Decision is enforceable pursuant to Article 192 of the EEC Treaty.

Done at Brussels, 6 August 1984.

For the Commission

Frans ANDRIESSEN

Member of the Commission