8.10.2003 Official Journal of the European Union L 2551 (Acts whose publication is not obligatory) COMMISSION COMMISSION DECISION of 2 July 2002 relating to a proceeding pursuant to Article 81 of the EC Treaty and Article 53 of the EEA Agreement (Case C.37.519 — Methionine) (notified under document number C(2002) 2276) (Only the English and German texts are authentic) (Text with EEA relevance) (2003/674/EC) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Commu- nity, Having regard to the Agreement on the European Economic Area, Having regard to Council Regulation No 17 of 6 February 1962, First Regulation implementing Articles 85 and 86 of the Treaty ('), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 1/2003 (3, and in particular Articles 3 and 15 thereof, Having regard to the Commission decisions of 1 October 2001 and 17 December 2001 to open a proceeding in this case, Having given the undertakings concerned the opportunity to make known their views on the objections raised by the Commission pursuant to Article 19(1) of Regulation No 17 and Commission Regulation (EC) No 2842/98 of 22 December 1998 on the hearing of parties in certain proceedings under Articles 85 and 86 of the EC Treaty (%), After consulting the Advisory Committee on Restrictive Prac- tices and Dominant Positions, Having regard to the report of the hearing officer in this case (%), Whereas: PART I — FACTS A. SUMMARY OF THE INFRINGEMENT (1) This Decision is addressed to the following undertak- ings: — Aventis SA, — Aventis Animal Nutrition SA, — Nippon Soda Company Ltd, — Degussa AG. The infringement consists of the participation of the abovementioned producers of methionine in a con- tinuing agreement andfor concerted action contrary to Article 81(1) of the EC Treaty and Article 53 of the EEA Agreement covering the whole of the EEA, by which they agreed on price targets for the product, agreed on and implemented a mechanism for imple- menting price increases, exchanged information on sales volumes and market shares and monitored and enforced their agreements. The undertakings participated in the infringement from February 1986 until February 1999. B. THE METHIONINE INDUSTRY 1. THE PRODUCT Methionine is one of the most important amino acids. Amino acids are organic molecules which form proteins, one of the basic components of food and feed. There are over 20 amino acids involved in building protein. Those amino acids which cannot be produced naturally