Roullier Group’s appeal rejected in phosphate cartel case

The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has confirmed a fine of almost EUR60 million (US$64 million) on the Roullier Group (Groupe Roullier).

Scales of justice and Flag of European union European union law concept.
Scales of justice and Flag of European union European union law concept.

The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has confirmed a fine of almost EUR60 million (US$64 million) on the Roullier Group (Groupe Roullier).

Originally imposed in 2010, the penalty came after a decision by the European Commission (EC) against 13 companies belonging to six groups that had been members of a cartel to fix the prices of animal feed phosphates and share the market for more than 30 years. Activities of the cartel included the sharing of sales quotas by region and customer, coordinating prices and, in some cases, the conditions of sale. In total, the fines amounted to more than EUR175 million.

Roullier Group, whose subsidiary Timab Industries was found to have been involved in the cartel from 1993 to 2004, was penalized with a fine of EUR59.85 million in 2010. While all other firms found to be involved in the cartel settled with the EC in return for a reduction of their fines, Roullier brought an action before the General Court of the European Union, seeking annulment of the Commission’s decision and a reduction of the fine.

In 2015, the General Court dismissed this action, but Roullier appealed the decision.

The latest ruling by the ECJ upholds the actions of the EC and the decision of the General Court, and so Roullier Group will be required to pay the full fine imposed in 2010.

In September 2016, Timab Phosphates announced a change of name to Phosphea. According to the company’s website, Phosphea offers a complete range of phosphates to producers of compound feeds, mineral and premixes in more than 100 countries on five continents.

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