Brussels, 08/12/2010 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 8 December, the European Commission imposed a €648,925,000 fine on six liquid crystal display panel producers for having formed a price-fixing cartel counter to the interests of European consumers who buy television sets, computers and other products containing LCD screens. The companies fined are LG Display of Korea (€215 million fine) and Taiwanese firms AU Optronics (€116.8 million), Chimei InnoLux Corporation (€300 million), Chunghwa Picture Tubes (€9.025 million) and HannStar Display Corporation (€8.1 million). The Korean company Samsung Electronics escaped a fine due to the Commission's clemency programme given that it was the first to provide information on the cartel, which lasted over 4 years (October 2001 to February 2006). Article 101 of the EU Treaty bans price-fixing practice and all restrictive trading. Commenting on this decision, the Commission vice-president, Joaquín Almunia, responsible for competition policy pointed out that “foreign companies, like European ones, need to understand that if they want to do business in Europe they must play fair”. He went on to add that “the companies concerned knew they were breaking competition rules and took steps to conceal their illegal behaviour”. (O.L./transl.jl)