Judgment of the General Court (Eighth Chamber) of 9 December 2014

1. Judicial proceedingsApplication initiating proceedingsFormal requirementsBrief summary of the pleas in law on which the application is basedTerminologyNo obligation to use the terminology of the rule of procedure (Statute of the Court of Justice, Arts 21, first para., and 53, first para; Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Art. 44(1)(c)) (see para. 54)

2. CommissionPrinciple of collegialityScopeDecision to apply competition rules notified without its annexesNo infringement of the principle of collegialityMatters set out to a sufficient legal standard in the text of the decision (Art. 219 EC) (see paras 59, 60, 80)

3. Acts of the institutionsChoice of legal basisEU rulesRequirements of clarity and foreseeabilityExpress indication of the legal basisDecision of the Commission finding an infringement of Article 65 CS after the expiry of the ECSC Treaty and penalising the undertaking concernedLegal basis constituted by Article 7(1), and Article 23(2) of Regulation No 1/2003 (Art. 65(1) CS; Council Regulation No 1/2003, Arts 7(1), and 23(2)) (see paras 92, 96)

4. Agreements, decisions and concerted practicesAgreements, decisions and concerted practices falling within the scope of the ECSC TreatyExpiry of the ECSC TreatyContinuity of the regime of free competition under the EC TreatyMaintenance of control by the Commission acting within the legal framework of Regulation No 1/2003 (Art. 65(1) CS; Council Regulation No 1/2003) (see paras 97-112)

5. Acts of the institutionsTemporal applicationProcedural rulesSubstantive rulesDistinctionExpiry of the ECSC TreatyDecision to apply competition rules adopted after that expiry and concerning facts prior theretoPrinciples of legal certainty and protection of legitimate expectationsLegal situations established prior to the expiry of the ECSC TreatyWhether subject to the legal regime of the ECSC Treaty (Art. 65(1) CS) (see paras 113, 114, 116, 148)

6. CompetitionAdministrative procedureObservance of the rights of the defenceScope of the principleAnnulment of a first decision of the Commission finding an infringementAdoption of a new decision based on a different legal foundation and earlier preparatory measuresLawfulnessNo obligation to issue a new statement of objectionsNo obligation to organise a new hearing (Art. 65 CS; Council Regulation No 1/2003, Arts 14(3), and 27(1); Commission Regulation No 773/2004, Arts 10, 12(1), and 14(3)) (see paras 140, 141, 146, 147)

7. Agreements, decisions and concerted practicesProhibitionInfringementsAgreements and concerted practices constituting a single infringementConceptCriteriaSingle objective, overall plan, same subject-matter and subjectsChanging in certain characteristics and intensity of the cartelNo effect (Art. 65(1) CS; Art. 81(1) EC) (see paras 155-159, 167, 175)

8. Agreements, decisions and concerted practicesProhibitionInfringementsBurden of proofBurden of proof on CommissionProof adduced by a number of indicia and coincidences pointing to the existence and duration of continuous anti-competitive practicesLack of evidence relating to certain specific periods of the overall period consideredNo effect (Art. 65(1) CS) (see paras 191-194)

9. Agreements, decisions and concerted practicesAgreements between undertakingsAdverse effect on competition for the purposes of Article 65 CSCriteria for assessmentAnti-competitive objectSufficient (Art. 65(1) CS) (see para. 213)

10. Agreements, decisions and concerted practicesParticipation in meetings having an anti-competitive objectCircumstances from which, where the undertaking concerned has not distanced itself from the decisions adopted, it may be concluded that it participated in the ensuing cartelPublic distancingRestrictive interpretationPublication of an ECSC tariff by an undertakingInsufficient (Art. 65(1) CS) (see paras 213, 214, 356)

11. CompetitionFinesAmountDeterminationCriteriaGravity of the infringementNo binding or exhaustive list of criteria (Council Regulation No 1/2003, Art. 23(2); Commission Notice 98/C 9/03, point 1A) (see para. 227)

12. CompetitionFinesAmountDeterminationComplex evaluation of economic mattersCommission’s margin of discretionJudicial reviewReview of legalityScope (Council Regulation No 1/2003, Art. 23(2); Commission Notice 98/C 9/03, points 1A and 1B) (see paras 227, 237-239)

13. CompetitionFinesGuidelines on the method of setting finesLegal natureIndicative rule of conduct implying a self-limitation on the discretion of the CommissionObligation to comply with the principles of equal treatment, protection of legitimate expectations and legal certainty (Commission Notice 98/C 9/03) (see paras 229-231)

14. CompetitionFinesAmountDeterminationCriteriaGravity of the infringementClassification of an infringement as very seriousPrimary role of the criterion based on the nature of the infringementNot independent of that based on the size of the product market in questionInfringement classified as very serious despite being limited to the territory of a single Member StateLawfulnessObligation to take account of the actual impact on the marketScopeExistence of a crisis on the market concernedNo effect (Council Regulation No 1/2003, Art. 23(2); Commission Notice 98/C 9/03, point 1A) (see paras 250-252, 256, 262, 285, 286, 294, 299, 300, 315)

15. CompetitionFinesLegal contextDeterminationEffect of Commission’s previous decision-making practiceNone (Art. 65 CS; Council Regulation No 1/2003, Art. 23(2)) (see paras 255, 297, 313, 340)

16. Judicial proceedingsApplication initiating proceedingsFormal requirementsBrief summary of the pleas in law on which the application is basedGeneral reference to documents annexed to the applicationInadmissibility (Statute of the Court of Justice, Art. 21, first para.; Rules of Procedure of the General Court, Art. 44(1)(c)) (see paras 268, 284)

17. Agreements, decisions and concerted practicesConcerted practiceExchange of information under a cartel agreement or with a view to setting up a cartelTaking into account of information exchangedPresumption (Art. 65(1) CS) (see para. 276)

18. CompetitionFinesAmountDeterminationCriteriaActual impact on the marketCriteria for assessmentFixing of prices by reference to agreed prices having the effect of limiting customers’ margin for negotiation (Council Regulation No 1/2003, Art. 23(2); Commission Notice 98/C 9/03) (see paras 285, 286)

19. CompetitionFinesAmountDeterminationDivision of the undertakings in question into categories with a specific starting pointLawfulnessConditionsCompliance with the principles of equal treatment and proportionalityCriteria (Council Regulation No 1/2003, Art. 23; Commission Notice 98/C 9/03, point 1A) (see paras 319-324, 329, 330)

20. CompetitionFinesAmountDeterminationCriteriaGravity of the infringementAccount taken of overall turnover of the undertaking concernedLawfulnessRelevance of the turnover achieved with products forming the subject-matter of a restrictive practiceLimitsObservance of the principle of proportionality (Art. 65 CS; Commission Notice 98/C 9/03, point 1A) (see paras 333-336)

21. CompetitionFinesAmountDeterminationCriteriaGravity of the infringementMitigating circumstancesPassive or follow-my-leader role of the undertakingCriteria for assessment (Art. 65(1) CS; Council Regulation No 1/2003, Art. 23(2) and (3); Commission Notice 98/C 9/03, point 3) (see para. 350)

22. CompetitionFinesAmountDeterminationCriteriaMitigating circumstancesConduct divergent from that agreed in the cartel implying adoption of competitive conduct in the marketAssessment (Art. 65(1) CS; Council Regulation No 1/2003, Art. 23(2); Commission Notice 98/C 9/03, point 3) (see paras 351, 352, 355-357)

23. CompetitionAdministrative procedureObligations of the CommissionDuty to act within a reasonable timeCriteria for assessmentInfringementConditionHarm to rights of the defenceEffects capable of consisting in a fine reduction (Art. 65(1) CS; Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Art. 41; Council Regulation No 1/2003) (see paras 363-366, 373)

Re:

Primarily, application for annulment of Commission Decision C(2009) 7492 final of 30 September 2009 relating to a proceeding under Article 65 CS (Case COMP/37.956 — Reinforcing bars, readoption), as amended by Commission Decision C(2009) 9912 final of 8 December 2009, in so far as it finds that the applicants infringed Article 65 CS and imposes upon them, jointly and severally, a fine of EUR 10.25 million, or in the alternative application for a reduction in the amount of that fine.

Operative part

The Court:

1. Dismisses the action;

2. Orders Ferriera Valsabbia SpA and Valsabbia Investimenti SpA to pay the costs.