EU hands $84.5 mln cartel fine to makers of car starter batteries

The commission said battery makers Clarios, Exide, FET and Rombat, and trade association EUROBAT had for more than 12 years entered into anticompetitive deals and engaged in concerted practices related to the sale of automotive starter batteries in the European Economic Area. "This cartel restricted competition and may have led to higher prices for the manufacturing of cars and trucks in Europe," the commission said.

The European Commission has fined three makers of starter batteries for cars and a trade association around 72 million euros ($84.54 million) for participating in a long-running cartel, in breach of EU antitrust rules, it said on Monday. The commission said battery makers Clarios, Exide, FET and Rombat, and trade association EUROBAT had for more than 12 years entered into anticompetitive deals and engaged in concerted practices related to the sale of automotive starter batteries in the European Economic Area.

"This cartel restricted competition and may have led to higher prices for the manufacturing of cars and trucks in Europe," the commission said. Clarios was not fined, as it had revealed the cartel to the Commission.

The largest fine, of 30 million euros, was handed to Exide Automotive starter batteries are primarily used in vehicles powered by combustion engines, such as passenger cars or trucks.

($1 = 0.8516 euros)