BRUSSELS, Nov 30 (Reuters) – EU antitrust regulators on Thursday charged automotive starter batteries makers Banner, Clarios (formerly JC Autobatterie), Exide, FET and its predecessor Elettra, Rombat, trade body Eurobat and its service provider Kellen of taking part in a cartel between 2004 and 2017.
“The five starter batteries manufacturers created, published and agreed to use new indices in their price negotiations with car producers (the so-called ‘Eurobat Premium System’),” the European Commission said in a statement.
It said the cartel aimed to fix an important element of the final battery price.
The EU competition enforcer said Eurobat and its service provider Kellen were aware of the alleged conduct and actively contributed to it by assisting the battery manufacturers in creating and running the Eurobat premium system.
Companies face fines as much as 10% of their global turnover for breaching EU antitrust rules. The Commission has in previous years penalised nearly a dozen cartels in the car industry, among them suppliers of automotive bearings, car seats and braking systems.
Reporting by Foo Yun Chee
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