EU re-imposes Euro 10 million fine on Arcelor

The European Commission (EC) took a decision on Wednesday to re-impose a fine totaling Euro 10 million on three units of the steelmaker Arcelor (Arcelor SA, Arcelor International SA, and Arcelor Profil Luxembourg SA), for participating in a steel beam cartel from 1988 to 1991. "Between 1988 and 1991, the companies fixed prices, allocated quotas and exchanged confidential information in the steel beams industry covering the whole of the single market," the Commission determined. The EC re-adapted its 1994 decision which was aborted in 2003 by the European Union Court of Justice on the technical grounds that the Commission was wrong to address two sets of charges to different company names as they merged into Luxembourg-based steel company. The case was then re-opened in 2006.