Brussels, 25/06/2008 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 25 June, the European Commission decided to impose fines (4.97 million euros) on producers of aluminium fluoride. They are accused of colluding (secret agreement) over price setting. Aluminium fluoride is a chemical product used to reduce the fusion temperature of aluminium, thus reducing the amount of energy used in the fusion process.
The companies which have been fined are Fluorsid S.p.A. (Italy), Minmet Financing Company S.A. (Switzerland), the Société des Industries Chimiques du Fluor (Tunisia) and the Mexican companies Industrial Quimica de Mexico S.A. de C.V. and Q.B. Industrias S.A.B. de C.V. The company Boliden Odda (Norway) was granted full immunity from fines because it was the first to provide information on these practices. In the second half of 2000, these companies agreed on general prices and a division of the international market. (L.C./trans.fl)