Overview

The European Commission (Commission) has today announced its first
settlement of a cartel case in a so-called "hybrid" scenario, in which all but
one company settled the case with the Commission in return for a
10 percent reduction in each of their fines.
The Commission has fined producers of animal feed phosphates a total of
EUR 175.6 million for market-sharing and price-fixing. The Commission
found that the companies had operated a cartel lasting over three decades
and covering a large part of the European Economic Area territory. Animal
feed phosphates are chemical compounds used in feed for animals such
as cattle, pigs, poultry, fish and pets.