In a gripping legal showdown, Clariant, the chemical giant, was dealt a staggering blow as it failed to shrink a €155.7 million ($164.2 million) fine imposed for its involvement in an ethylene purchasing cartel. European judges, in a decision that left the company reeling, upheld the European Commission’s discretion in setting these substantial fines for breaches of competition law.
Clariant AG and Clariant International AG mounted a fierce legal battle to mitigate the fine levied by the executive arm of the European Union. The fine stemmed from the chemical company’s participation in an ethylene purchasing cartel operating between December 2011 and March 2017, alongside chemical and specialty material companies Celanese and Orbia. A fourth company secured full immunity by exposing the cartel, eluding an aggregate fine of nearly €190 million.
Clariant Loses €155M Chemical Cartel Fine : Clariant’s Legal Struggle
Clariant embarked on a mission to annul part of the Commission’s decision regarding a €94 million fine. Their aim was to reduce it to a “proportionate amount.” However, the General Court of the European Union emphatically rejected this quest. The Commission, far from backing down, advocated for an even steeper penalty, a staggering €181 million.
