L 322/20 Official Journal of the European Union 22.11.2006 COMMISSION COMMISSION DECISION of 31 May 2006 relating to a proceeding under Article 81 of the Treaty establishing the European Community and Article 53 of the EEA Agreement (Case No COMP/F/38.645 — Methacrylates) (notified under document number C(2006) 2098) (Only the English and French texts are authentic) (Text with EEA relevance) (2006/793/EC) SUMMARY OF THE INFRINGEMENT This Decision was addressed to Degussa AG, Rohm GmbH & Co. KG, Para-Chemie GmbH, Altuglas Inter- national SA, Altumax Europe SAS, Arkema SA, EIf Aquitaine SA, Total SA, ICI PLC, Lucite International Ltd and Lucite International UK Ltd, Quinn Barlo Ltd, Quinn Plastics NV and Quinn Plastics GmbH. The above 14 legal entities (belonging to five under- takings, with some legal entities held liable as parent companies) infringed Article 81 of the EC Treaty and Article 53 of the EEA Agreement by participating in a single and continuous infringement between 23 January 1997 and 12 September 2002 in the methacrylates industry in the EEA involving three products: — Polymethyl-methacrylate (PMMA)-moulding compounds; — Polymethyl-methacrylate (PMMA)-solid sheet; and — Polymethyl-methacrylate (PMMA)-sanitaryware. The infringement’s main features included: competitors discussing prices, agreeing, implementing and monitoring price agreements either in the form of price increases or at least stabilisation of the existing prices; discussing the passing on of additional service costs to customers; exchange of commercially important and confidential market andfor company relevant information; partici- pating in regular meetings and having other contacts to agree to the above restrictions and monitor implemen- tation within the EEA. THE METHACRYLATES INDUSTRY PMMA-moulding compounds, PMMA-solid sheet and PMMA-sanitaryware are part of a production chain with Methacrylate-Monomers (MMA) being the starting point and main raw material of the three PMMA-products. Although these three PMMA-products are all both physically and chemically distinct, they can be considered as one homogenous product group due to a common rawmaterial input. The investigation showed that the cartel covered the whole of the EEA. The 2000 EEA market value for all three PMMA-products was ca EUR 665 million for ca 255 000 tons. PROCEDURE In December 2002, the German company Degussa AG informed the Commission of the existence of a cartel in the Methacrylates industry and expressed the wish to cooperate with the Commission under the 2002 Leniency Notice. Degussa provided the Commission with evidence that enabled the carrying out of inspections in March 2003 at the premises of Atofina, Barlo, Lucite and Degussa. After the inspections Atofina, Lucite and ICI submitted applications for reduction of fines. Atofina and Lucite were granted a reduction of fines. In addition, Lucite was granted immunity for part of the duration of its involvement in the cartel. ICI's application was rejected as it did not bring significant added value, The Statement of Objections was addressed to 20 legal entities belonging to seven undertakings. The Oral Hearing, which all the addressees attended, was held on 15 and 16 December 2005.