commiss decis octob relat proceed articl ec treati articl eea agreement chisso corpor daicel chemic industri hoechst ag nippon synthet chemic industri ueno fine chemic industri case sorbat notifi document number english german text authent text eea relev ec octob commiss adopt decis relat proceed articl ec treati articl eea agreement accord provis articl council regul ec commiss herewith publish name parti main content decis penalti impos regard legitim interest undertak protect busi interest confidenti version full text decis found authent languag case commiss work languag director gener competit websit http europa eu int comm competit index en html summari infring addresse natur infring decis address chisso corpor hereinaft chisso daicel chemic industri hereinaft daicel hoechst ag hereinaft hoechst nippon synthet chemic industri hereinaft nippon ueno fine chemic industri hereinaft ueno addresse particip singl continu infring articl treati establish european commun hereinaft ec treati treati januari articl agreement european econom area hereinaft eea agreement cover eea territori agre price target alloc volum quota sorbat decid suppli technolog potenti market entrant monitor anti competit arrang durat infring undertak particip infring decemb novemb case nippon octob parti market sorbat sorbat chemic preserv anti microbi agent capabl retard prevent growth micro organ yeast bacteria mould fungi primarili food beverag princip mechan reduc water avail increas acid addit preserv import food characterist flavour colour textur nutrit addit preserv food beverag sorbat perform stabilis type product pharmaceut product cosmet pet food anim feed main type sorbat sorbic acid potassium sorbat calcium sorbat sorbic acid basic product fatti acid decompos utilis bodi physiolog inert effect odour flavour product preserv wide margarin mayonnais salad chees fish product meat sausag product fruit product beverag confectioneri bakeri product fungistat packag materi technic complex substanc produc whilst sorbat product result technic simpler convers step sorbic acid product sorbic acid requir essenti raw materi keten croton aldehyd ga produc site high invest product plant pose import barrier potenti entrant potassium sorbat high water solubl desir sorbic acid limit low solubl water potassium sorbat primari form product high water content calcium sorbat produc small quantiti coat chees wrap paper franc itali sorbic acid salt includ potassium sorbat rank main preserv western europ sorbic acid repres sorbat sale potassium sorbat repres remain preserv matur product research develop intens prospect preserv enter market place minim sorbat lead product segment preserv sector main substitut product sorbat sodium potassium benzoat paraben manufactur prefer sorbat notwithstand higher price qualiti reason product constitut perfect substitut paraben occupi nich market food preserv industri demand sorbat price elast altern geograph relev market worldwid scope exce geograph area sanction appli eea function cartel structur organis oper cartel base share assess market hoechst repres european market daicel chisso nippon ueno group repres japanes market cartel meet held level yearli meet hoechst japanes produc joint meet japanes produc preparatori meet preparatori meet pre meet bilater meet telephon contact bilater contact prior joint meet japanes produc seri preparatori meet order agre price volum quota discuss hoechst addit group meet number bilater meet telephon contact hoechst japanes produc ii fine basic amount take account natur infring case actual impact sorbat market fact cover common market creation eea market commiss consid undertak concern decis commit infring articl ec treati articl eea agreement differenti treatment categori infring scale fine make appli differenti treatment undertak order account effect econom capac offend signific damag competit exercis case consider dispar market size undertak particip infring circumst case involv undertak set basic amount fine account specif weight real impact offend conduct undertak competit purpos undertak concern divid group establish rel import relev market case commiss consid worldwid product turnov full year infring basi compar rel import undertak market concern worldwid product turnov provid compani respons commiss request inform hoechst largest produc sorbat worldwid market market share eea group daicel chisso nippon ueno market share eea group basi forego start amount fine impos case result criterion rel import market concern group group eur million group eur million suffici deterr order ensur fine suffici deterr effect larg undertak account fact larg undertak legal econom knowledg infrastructur enabl easili recognis conduct constitut infring awar consequ stem conduct competit law start amount hoechst adjust case hoechst largest undertak concern decis commiss consid start amount fine result criterion rel import market concern requir upward adjust account size resourc start amount fine determin recit increas eur million durat commiss consid chisso daicel hoechst ueno infring articl treati articl eea agreement decemb octob commit long term infring year month start amount fine determin graviti chisso daicel ueno hoechst increas nippon infring articl treati articl eea agreement decemb novemb commit long term infring year month start amount fine determin recit graviti increas commiss set basic amount fine chisso eur million daicel eur million hoechst eur million nippon eur million ueno eur million aggrav circumst hoechst lead role cartel recidivist behaviour consid aggrav circumst justifi increas basic amount fine daicel alongsid hoechst drive forc cartel undertak power cartel member largest market share share interest fact hoechst plai lead role infring daicel commiss accept member cartel initi order realis common anti competit goal regard forego basic amount fine increas case daicel aggrav circumst relat infring chisso case aggrav circumst relat infring nippon case aggrav circumst relat infring ueno case attenu circumst attenu circumst relat infring hoechst case attenu circumst relat infring daicel case attenu circumst relat infring chisso case attenu circumst relat infring nippon case refer ueno case commiss attenu circumst implement practic agre volum quota alloc applic lenienc notic lenienc notic inapplic case divid line applic ration tempori notic drawn point notic read quot februari notic replac notic case undertak contact commiss order advantag favour treatment set notic quot case undertak includ hoechst quot contact quot commiss date lenienc notic remain applic accord section lenienc notic commiss grant chisso reduct fine impos cooper commiss commiss impos fine chisso signific reduct fine quot section quot reduct due consider hoechst cooper lenienc notic commiss grant accord indent section notic reduct fine impos cooper commiss due consider nippon cooper lenienc notic commiss grant accord indent section notic reduct fine impos cooper commiss due consider daicel cooper lenienc notic account stage procedur cooper place commiss grant accord indent section notic reduct fine impos cooper commiss due consider ueno cooper lenienc notic account stage procedur cooper place commiss grant accord indent section notic reduct fine impos cooper commiss conclus regard natur cooper light condit set lenienc notic fine impos addresse decis reduc chisso reduct daicel reduct hoechst reduct nippon reduct ueno reduct abil pai argument chisso ueno chisso submit financi situat deterior recent year due sever last econom crisi japan decad immens financi exposur chisso damag clean cost aris minamata diseas submiss made june chisso explain describ precari financi posit commiss financi data commiss note ueno fail produc consolid figur examin ueno financi situat basi consolid figur commiss conclud adjust amount fine ueno case account advers financi situat undertak tantamount confer unjustifi competit advantag undertak adapt condit market commiss impos fine chisso argument irrelev decis conclus fine impos pursuant articl regul ec daicel chemic industri eur million hoechst ag eur million nippon synthet chemic industri eur million ueno fine chemic industri eur million undertak list immedi bring infring end refrain repeat act conduct infring found case act conduct similar object effect oj part text edit ensur confidenti inform disclos part enclos squar bracket mark asterisk