CELEX: 62006TJ0378
Language: en
Date: 2011-03-24
Title: Judgment of the General Court (Eighth Chamber) of 24 March 2011.#IMI plc and Others v European Commission.#Competition - Agreements, decisions and concerted practices - Copper and copper alloy fittings sector - Decision finding an infringement of Article 81 EC - Fines - Relevant turnover - Leniency Notice - Guidelines on the method of setting fines - Equal treatment.#Case T-378/06.

Judgment of the General Court (Eighth Chamber) of 24 March 2011 – IMI and Others v Commission
      (Case T-378/06)
      Competition – Agreements, decisions and concerted practices – Copper and copper alloy fittings sector – Decision finding an infringement of Article 81 EC – Fines – Relevant turnover – Leniency Notice – Guidelines on the method of setting fines – Equal treatment
      1.                     Procedure – Objection of lis pendens – Same parties, subject-matter and submissions in two actions – Inadmissibility of the
            second action (see para. 29)
      2.                     Competition – Fines – Amount – Determination – Discretion of the Commission – Limits – Respect for the principle of equal
            treatment (Council Regulation No 17, Art. 15(2)) (see paras 40-42)
      3.                     Competition – Fines – Amount – Determination – Criteria – Duration of the infringement – Infringements of long duration –
            Increase by 10% of the starting amount per year – Discretion of the Commission (Council Regulation No 17, Art. 15(2); Commission
            Communication 98/C 9/03, Section 1B) (see paras 57-58)
      Re:
      
         
               APPLICATION for annulment in part of Commission Decision C(2006) 4180 of 20 September 2006 relating to a proceeding under
                  Article 81 [EC] and Article 53 of the EEA Agreement (Case COMP/F‑1/38.121 – Fittings), and also, in the alternative, for a
                  reduction in the fine imposed on the applicants in that decision.
               
            Operative part
      The Court:
      
         
                  1.
               
               
                  
               
               
                  	Dismisses the action;
               
            
         
                  2.
               
               
                  
               
               
                  	Orders IMI plc, IMI Kynoch Ltd, Yorkshire Fittings Ltd, VSH Italia Srl, Comap SA and Simplex Armaturen + Fittings GmbH & Co.
                     KG to pay the costs.