Construction chemicals companies, trade associations hit with EU cartel charges

By Foo Yun Chee

BRUSSELS, July 20 (Reuters) - EU antitrust regulators on Monday charged a group of construction chemicals companies and trade associations with taking part in a cartel between 2021 and 2022, putting them at risk of hefty fines.

The European Commission issued the charges via a 'statement of objections' following dawn raids against unnamed companies in several EU countries in 2023.

The Commission, which acts as the EU competition enforcer, said the companies and associations colluded between 2021 and 2022 to increase prices in the supply of chemicals for cement, concrete and mortar, impacting construction costs.

Charges were sent to Cemex, Chryso, Mapei, Master Builders Solutions, MC Bauchemie, Sika, TAM, and the trade association SYNAD for alleged wrongdoing in France.

The alleged anti-competitive practices in Germany concerned Cemex, Ha-be, Mapei, Master Builders Solutions, MC Bauchemie, Liesen, Remei, Sika and the trade association Deutsche Bauchemie.

The cartel charges regarding the Spanish market concerned Chryso, Mapei, Master Builders Solutions, MC Bauchemie, Sika and the trade association ANFAH.

The companies and trade associations risk fines of up to 10% of their global annual turnover if found guilty of breach EU cartel rules.

(Reporting by Foo Yun Chee; editing by Philip Blenkinsop)