Antitrust: Commission fines producers of wire harnesses € 141 million in cartel settlement

EU News 334/2013

IP/13/673
Brussels, 10 July 2013

The European Commission has fined the car parts suppliers Sumitomo, Yazaki, Furukawa, S-Y Systems Technologies (SYS) and Leoni a total of € 141 791 000 for operating five cartels for the supply of wire harnesses to Toyota, Honda, Nissan and Renault. Wire harnesses conduct electricity in cars, for instance to start the motor, to open the window or to switch the air-conditioner on. They are often described as the 'central nervous system' of the car. The cartels covered the whole European Economic Area (EEA).

Sumitomo was not fined for any of the five cartels as it benefited from immunity under the Commission's 2006 Leniency Notice for revealing the existence of the cartels to the Commission. All other companies received reductions of their fines for their cooperation in the investigation under the Commission's leniency programme. Since the companies agreed to settle the case with the Commission, their fines were further reduced by 10%.

Source and additional information:
http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-13-673_en.htm?locale=en

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