# C_2006331EN.01002902.xml

| 30.12.2006 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 331/29 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |

30.12.2006

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 331/29

---

Judgment of the Court of First Instance of 14 December 2006 — Raiffeisen Zentralbank Österreich and Others v Commission

(Joined Cases T-259/02 to T-264/02 and T-271/02) (1)

1

(Competition - Agreements, decisions and concerted practices - Austrian banking market - ‘Lombard Club’ - Effect on trade between Member States - Calculation of fines)

(2006/C 331/65)

Language of the case: German

Parties

Applicants: Raiffeisen Zentralbank Österreich AG (Vienna, Austria) (represented by: S. Völcker, lawyer) (Case T-259/02); Bank Austria Creditanstalt AG (Vienna) (represented by: C. Zschocke and J. Beninca, lawyers) (Case T-260/02); Anteilsverwaltung BAWAG PSK AG, formerly Bank für Arbeit und Wirtschaft AG, (Vienna) (represented by: initially H.-J. Niemeyer and M. von Hinden and then by H.-J. Niemeyer, lawyers) (Case T-261/02); Raiffeisenlandesbank Niederösterreich-Wien AG (Vienna) (represented by: H. Wollmann, lawyer) (Case T-262/02); BAWAG PSK Bank für Arbeit und Wirtschaft und Österreichische Postsparkasse AG, formerly Österreichische Postsparkasse AG (Vienna) (represented by: initially H.-J. Niemeyer and M. von Hinden and then by H.-J. Niemeyer, lawyers) (Case T-263/02); Erste Bank der oesterreichischen Sparkassen AG (Vienna) (represented by: initially W. Kirchhoff, F. Montag, G. Bauer and A. Wegner and then by F. Montag et A. Wegner, lawyers) (Case T 264/02); Österreichische Volksbanken AG (Vienna) and Niederösterreichische Landesbank-Hypothekenbank AG (St. Pölten, Austria) (represented by: R. Roniger, A. Ablasser, R. Bierwagen et F. Neumayr, lawyers) (Case T-271/02)

Applicants:

Defendant: Commission of the European Communities (represented by: initially S. Rating and then by A. Bouquet, Agents, assisted by D. Waelbroeck and U. Zinsmeister, lawyers)

Defendant:

Re:

Primarily, applications for annulment in full or in part of Commission Decision 2004/138/EC of 11 June 2002 relating to a proceeding under Article 81 of the EC Treaty (Case COMP/36.571/D-1: Austrian banks — ‘Lombard Club’) (OJ 2004 L 56, p. 1) and, in the alternative, for reduction of the fines imposed on the applicants

Operative part of the judgment

The Court:

| 1. | In Case T-263/02, reduces the amount of the fine imposed on the Österreichische Postsparkasse AG, the predecessor in title of the applicant, by Article 3 of Commission Decision 2004/138/EC of 11 June 2002 relating to a proceeding under Article 81 of the EC Treaty (Case COMP/36.571/D-1: Austrian banks — ‘Lombard Club’) to EUR 3 795 000; |
| --- | --- |

1.

In Case T-263/02, reduces the amount of the fine imposed on the Österreichische Postsparkasse AG, the predecessor in title of the applicant, by Article 3 of Commission Decision 2004/138/EC of 11 June 2002 relating to a proceeding under Article 81 of the EC Treaty (Case COMP/36.571/D-1: Austrian banks — ‘Lombard Club’) to EUR 3 795 000;

| 2. | Dismisses the actions as to the remainder; |
| --- | --- |

2.

Dismisses the actions as to the remainder;

| 3. | In Case T-259/02, dismisses the Commission's counterclaim; |
| --- | --- |

3.

In Case T-259/02, dismisses the Commission's counterclaim;

| 4. | In Cases T-260/02 to T-262/02, T-264/02 and T-271/02, orders the applicants to pay the costs; |
| --- | --- |

4.

In Cases T-260/02 to T-262/02, T-264/02 and T-271/02, orders the applicants to pay the costs;

| 5. | In Case T-259/02, orders the applicant to bear its own costs and 90 % of the Commission's costs. The Commission is to bear 10 % of its own costs; |
| --- | --- |

5.

In Case T-259/02, orders the applicant to bear its own costs and 90 % of the Commission's costs. The Commission is to bear 10 % of its own costs;

| 6. | In Case T-263/02, orders the parties to bear their own costs. |
| --- | --- |

6.

In Case T-263/02, orders the parties to bear their own costs.

---

(1)  OJ C 274, 9.11.2002.

1

---