BRUSSELS (CN) - The Court of First Instance fined consultancy firm AC-Treuhand AG 1,000 euros for playing an essential role in a cartel to fix prices of organic peroxides, chemicals used to make plastic and rubber.
AC-Treuhand AG stored secret documents relating to the cartel, collected market data for the chemical producers and organized meetings. The producers were AKZO, PC/Degussa and Luperox GmbH, now known as Atochem/Atofina.
The court rejected AC-Treuhand's claim that it never had the chance to defend itself, because the European Commission acted too quickly in imposing the fine. The court also dismissed its claim that it cannot be held liable for a cartel if it is not active in the organic peroxides market.
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