Case T-54/03: Judgment of the Court of First Instance of 8 July 2008 — Lafarge v Commission (Competition — Agreements, decisions and concerted practices — Plasterboard market — Decision finding an infringement of Article 81 EC — Liability — Deterrence — Repeat infringement — Fine — Guidelines on the method of setting fines)
Date: 2008-07-08
Institutions: Court of First Instance
Subjects: European Commission, action for annulment (EU), building industry, equal treatment, fine, legal hearing, plaster

15.8.2008

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 209/41

Judgment of the Court of First Instance (Third Chamber) of
8 July 2008 — BPB v Commission

Judgment of the Court of First Instance of 8 July 2008 —
Lafarge v Commission

(Case T-53/03) (1)

(Case T-54/03) (1)

(Competition — Cartels — Plasterboard market — Decision
finding an infringement of Article 81 EC — Single and
continuous infringement — Repeated infringement — Fine —
Guidelines on the method of setting fines — Leniency Notice)

(Competition — Agreements, decisions and concerted practices
— Plasterboard market — Decision finding an infringement
of Article 81 EC — Liability — Deterrence — Repeat infrin-
gement — Fine — Guidelines on the method of setting fines)

(2008/C 209/69)

Language of the case: English

(2008/C 209/70)

Language of the case: French

Parties

Parties

Applicant: BPB plc (Slough, United Kingdom) (represented by: T.
Sharpe QC, and A. Nourry, Solicitor)

Defendant: Commission of the European Communities (repre-
sented by: F. Castillo de la Torre, Agent, J. Flynn QC, and C.
Kilroy, Barrister)

Re:

Application for annulment
in part of Commission Decision
2005/471/EC of 27 November 2002 relating to a proceeding
under Article 81 [EC] against BPB plc, Gebrüder Knauf West-
deutsche Gipswerke KG, Société Lafarge SA and Gyproc Benelux
(OJ 2005
NV (Case No COMP/E-1/37.152 — Plasterboard)
L 166, p. 8), or, in the alternative, annulment or reduction of
the fine imposed on the applicant.

Operative part of the judgment

The Court:

1. Sets the amount of the fine imposed on BPB plc by Article 3 of
Commission Decision 2005/471/EC of 27 November 2002
relating to a proceeding under Article 81 [EC] against BPB plc,
Gebrüder Knauf Westdeutsche Gipswerke KG, Société Lafarge SA
and Gyproc Benelux NV (Case No COMP/E-1/37.152 — Plas-
terboard) at EUR 118,8 million;

2. Dismisses the action as to the remainder;

3. Orders the Commission to pay one tenth of its own costs and one

tenth of the costs incurred by BPB;

(represented by: H.
Applicant: Lafarge SA (Paris, France)
Lesguillons, J.-C. Bermond, N. Jalabert-Doury, A. Winckler, F.
Brunet and I. Simic initially,
Jalabert-Doury, A.
Winckler and F. Brunet, lawyers)

then by N.

Defendant: Commission of the European Communities (repre-
sented by: F. Castillo de la Torre and C. Ingen-Housz initially,
then by F. Castillo de la Torre and F. Arbault, Agents)

Intervener in support of the defendant: Council of the European
Union (represented by: S. Marquardt and E. Karlsson, Agents)

Re:

of

for

annulment

Application
Commission Decision
2005/471/EC of 27 November 2002 relating to proceedings
under Article 81 [EC] against BPB plc, Gebrüder Knauf
Westdeutsche Gipswerke KG, Société Lafarge SA and Gyproc
Benelux NV (Case No COMP/E-1/37.152 — Plasterboard)
(OJ 2005 L 166, p. 8), or, in the alternative, an application for
the annulment of or a reduction in the fine imposed on the
applicant.

Operative part of the judgment

The Court:

1. Dismisses the action;

2. Orders Lafarge SA to bear its own costs and to pay those incurred

by the Commission;

4. Orders BPB to pay nine tenths of its own costs and nine tenths of

the costs incurred by the Commission.

3. Orders the Council to bear its own costs.

(1) OJ C 101, 26.4.2003.

(1) OJ C 101, 26.4.2003.