On Wednesday 8 February, the European Commission handed down fines to the cartel in place between 2009 and 2012 between the Belgian company Campine, Recylex of France, Johnson Controls of the USA and Eco-Bat Technologies of the UK. These recycling companies agreed to fix the purchase prices for scrap automotive batteries in Belgium, France, Germany and the Netherlands.
These recycling companies purchase scrap automotive batteries (from cars, lorries and vans) from scrap dealers or scrap collectors. These batteries are obtained from collection points such as garages, maintenance and repair workshops, battery distributors, scrapyards and other waste disposal sites. Recycling companies carry out the treatment and recovery of scrap batteries and then sell recycled lead, mostly to battery manufacturers, who use it to produce new car batteries.
In this case, these businesses agreed to reduce the purchase price paid to scrap dealers and scrap collectors. The companies affected by the cartel were mainly small and medium-sized collectors and dealers.
At a press conference, the Commissioner for Competition, Margrethe Vestager, explained that the companies were perfectly aware that their contacts were illegal. In some cases, they used coded language, for instance discussing the weather to indicate different price levels.
Johnson Controls revealed the existence of the cartel to the Commission and therefore escapes a fine of around €38 million. Commissioner Vestager stressed that the European institution provided strong motivation for companies acting in this way to disclose the cartel. This decision shows them that companies participating in a cartel cannot necessarily trust the other participants, as if one of them wishes to get out, it can simply turn to the European institution and avoid a fine. Eco-Bat and Recyclex had their fines reduced due to their cooperation with the Commission's investigation. The former will have to pay a fine of nearly €33 million and the latter nearly €27 million. Campine's request for leniency was rejected, as the Commission noted that the company did not disclose its participation in the infringement. It was therefore handed a fine in the region of €8 million. (Original version in French by Élodie Lamer)