CELEX: 62003TJ0050
Language: en
Date: 2008-07-08
Title: Judgment of the Court of First Instance (Third Chamber) of 8 July 2008. # Saint-Gobain Gyproc Belgium NV v Commission of the European Communities. # Competition - Cartels - Plasterboard market - Decision finding an infringement of Article 81 EC - Fine - Gravity and duration of the infringement - Attenuating circumstances. # Case T-50/03.

Judgment of the Court of First Instance (Third Chamber) of 8 July 2008 – Saint-Gobain Gyproc Belgium v Commission
      (Case T-50/03)
      Competition – Cartels – Plasterboard market – Decision finding an infringement of Article 81 EC – Fine – Gravity and duration of the infringement – Attenuating circumstances
      1.                     Competition – Agreements, decisions and concerted practices – Agreements and concerted practices constituting a single infringement
            (Art. 81(1) EC) (see paras 42-50, 57, 105-106)
      2.                     Competition – Fines – Amount – Determination – Need to take account of the turnovers of the undertakings concerned and to
            ensure that fines are proportional to those turnovers – None – Need to take account of the small size or undiversified nature
            of the business of the undertaking concerned – None (Council Regulation No 17, Art. 15(2); Commission Notice 98/C 9/03) (see
            paras 83-85, 88, 93-95)
      3.                     Competition – Fines – Amount – Determination – Criteria – Gravity of the infringement – Mitigating circumstances – Passive
            or ‘follow-my-leader’ role of the undertaking – Criteria for assessment (Council Regulation No 17, Art. 15(2); Commission
            Notice 98/C 9/03, point 3) (see paras 119-121,124-125)
      4.                     Competition – Fines – Amount – Determination – Criteria – Gravity of the infringement – Mitigating circumstances – Termination
            of the infringement after the Commission’s intervention – Conditions (Council Regulation No 17, Art. 15(2); Commission Notice
            98/C 9/03, point 3) (see paras 133-136)
      Re:
      
         
               ACTION under Articles 229 EC and 230 EC for the reduction of the fine imposed on Gyproc by 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 – Plasterboard) (OJ 2005 L 166, p. 8)
               
            Operative part
      The Court:
      
         
                  1.
               
               
                  
               
               
                  	Dismisses the action;
               
            
         
                  2.
               
               
                  
               
               
                  	Orders Saint-Gobain Gyproc Belgium NV to pay the costs.