Commission Sends Statements of Objections in Construction Chemicals Cartel
The European Commission (“Commission”) has sent Statements of Objections to several construction chemicals manufacturers and three national trade associations over suspected coordination of price increases for additives used in cement, concrete and mortar in France, Germany, and Spain.
The case concerns alleged coordination between 2021 and 2022 over planned price increases for construction chemicals. According to the Commission, manufacturers discussed future increases in response to rising raw-material costs, while national trade associations prepared press releases that were used to explain or support those increases. The Commission identified a separate suspected arrangement in France, Germany and Spain, involving Sika, Mapei, Cemex, Chryso and MC Bauchemie, among others.