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PARALLEL TEXTS
La Corte conferma la sentenza del Tribunale relativa all’intesa sui mercati delle gomme sintetiche, per quanto riguarda la società italiana Eni SpA
Inglese tratto da:
http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_CJE-13-58_en.htm
Italiano tratto da:
http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_CJE-13-58_it.htm
Data documento: 08-05-2013
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The Court upholds the judgment of the General Court concerning the cartel on the synthetic rubbers markets as regards the Italian company Eni SpA
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La Corte conferma la sentenza del Tribunale relativa all’intesa sui mercati delle gomme sintetiche, per quanto riguarda la società italiana Eni SpA
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Eni is definitively required to pay a fine of €181.5 million
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L’Eni è condannata in via definitiva a pagare un’ammenda di 181,50 milioni di euro
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In 2006 the Commission imposed fines totalling over €519 million on 13 companies for having participated, at different times between 20 May 1996 and 28 November 2002, in a cartel on the market in butadiene rubber (BR) and emulsion styrene-butadiene rubber (ESBR).
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Nel 2006 la Commissione ha inflitto ammende per un importo totale superiore a 519 milioni di euro a tredici società, per avere esse partecipato, in periodi diversi compresi fra il 20 maggio 1996 e il 28 novembre 2002, ad un’intesa sul mercato della gomma butadiene (BR) e della gomma stirene e butadiene del tipo emulsione (ESBR).
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These are synthetic rubbers used in the manufacture of tyres and different types of consumer goods, such as certain floor coverings and golf balls.
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Si tratta di gomme sintetiche utilizzate per la produzione di pneumatici, nonché di vari beni di consumo come i rivestimenti per pavimenti e le palline da golf.
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The inquiry into that cartel had been set in motion by requests for clemency from Bayer in 2002.
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L’inchiesta su tale intesa era scattata a seguito di richieste di misure di clemenza presentate dalla società Bayer nel 2002.
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The infringement consisted in fixing price targets, sharing customers by non-aggression agreements and exchanging sensitive information on prices, competitors and customers.
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L’infrazione è consistita nella fissazione di obiettivi di prezzo, nella ripartizione dei clienti mediante accordi di non aggressione e nello scambio di informazioni riservate concernenti prezzi, concorrenti e clienti.
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In particular, as regards the Italian company Eni SpA and its subsidiary Polimeri Europa SpA (wholly owned and now Versalis SpA), the Commission increased the basic fine by 50% for repeated infringements, because of their participation in two previous cartels, to a total of €272.25 million.
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In particolare, per quanto riguarda la società italiana Eni SpA e la sua controllata Polimeri Europa SpA (detenuta al 100 % e in seguito divenuta Versalis SpA), la Commissione ha aumentato del 50%, a titolo di recidiva, l’importo di base dell’ammenda loro inflitta, in ragione della loro partecipazione a due intese anteriori, per un totale di 272,25 milioni di euro.
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The companies concerned brought an action before the General Court in 2007 seeking the annulment of the Commission’s decision or a reduction in their respective fines.
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Le società coinvolte hanno adito il Tribunale dell’Unione europea nel 2007 al fine di ottenere l’annullamento della decisione della Commissione oppure la riduzione delle rispettive ammende.
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By its judgments, delivered in 2011, the General Court annulled the decision in so far as it concerned Unipetrol, its subsidiary Kaučuk and Trade Stomil.
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Con sentenze pronunciate nel 2011, il Tribunale ha annullato la decisione nella parte riguardante l’Unipetrol, la sua controllata Kaučuk, nonché la Trade Stomil.
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As regards Eni and its subsidiary, Polimeri Europa, the General Court considered that the development of the structure and control of the companies involved was particularly complex and that the Commission had not proved that the same undertakings had repeated an infringement.
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Riguardo all’Eni e alla sua controllata Polimeri Europa, il Tribunale ha osservato che l’evoluzione della struttura e del controllo delle società interessate era particolarmente complessa e che la Commissione non aveva dimostrato che le medesime società avessero reiterato un comportamento illecito.
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It therefore reduced the fine imposed jointly and severally on them to €181.5 million.
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Esso ha pertanto ridotto a 181,50 milioni di euro l’ammenda inflitta in via solidale.
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In the present case, Eni has appealed to the Court of Justice to have the judgment of the General Court set aside.
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Avverso la sentenza del Tribunale l’Eni ha presentato impugnazione dinanzi alla Corte di giustizia.
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In support of its appeal, Eni submits, in particular, that the General Court should have annulled the decision of the Commission, inasmuch as it imputed to Eni the liability for the infringement committed by Syndial SpA (formerly EniChem SpA, another company in the Eni group) and/or Versalis.
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A sostegno della propria impugnazione, l’Eni afferma in particolare che il Tribunale avrebbe dovuto annullare la decisione della Commissione nella parte in cui le aveva addebitato la responsabilità dell’infrazione commessa dalla Syndial SpA (già EniChem SpA, altra società del gruppo Eni) e/o dalla Versalis.
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The Court of Justice recalls today that, in accordance with established case-law, the conduct of a subsidiary may be imputed, for the purposes of the application of the competition rules, to the parent company particularly where, although having separate legal personality, that subsidiary does not autonomously determine its conduct on the market but mostly applies the instructions given to it by the parent company.
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Nell’odierna sentenza, la Corte ricorda che, secondo giurisprudenza costante, il comportamento di una controllata può essere imputato, ai fini dell’applicazione delle regole di concorrenza, alla società controllante in particolare quando, pur avendo personalità giuridica distinta, detta controllata non determini in modo autonomo il proprio comportamento sul mercato, ma si attenga in sostanza alle istruzioni che le vengono impartite dalla società controllante.
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In the particular case in which a parent company holds all or almost all of the capital in a subsidiary which has committed an infringement of the EU competition rules, there is a rebuttable presumption that that parent company exercises an actual decisive influence over its subsidiary.
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Nella particolare ipotesi in cui una società controllante detenga la totalità o la quasi totalità del capitale della sua controllata che ha commesso un’infrazione alle regole di concorrenza dell’Unione, esiste una presunzione relativa secondo cui la società controllante esercita effettivamente un’influenza determinante sulla sua controllata.
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In the present case, for the entire duration of the infringement in question, Eni held, directly or indirectly, at least 99.97% of the capital in the companies which were directly active within its group in the BR and ESBR sectors (EniChem Elastomeri, EniChem SpA and Versalis).
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Nella fattispecie, per tutta la durata dell’infrazione l’ENI ha detenuto direttamente o indirettamente almeno il 99,97% del capitale delle società che operavano direttamente nei settori della BR e dell’ESBR (EniChem Elastomeri, EniChem SpA e Versalis).
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Since the parent company and its subsidiary form, in the present case, a single undertaking, the Commission may impose fines on the parent company without having to establish its individual involvement in the infringement.
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La società controllante e la sua controllata formano in questo caso una sola impresa e, di conseguenza, la Commissione può infliggere ammende alla società controllante senza che occorra dimostrare il coinvolgimento personale di quest’ultima nell’infrazione.
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The presumption of actual decisive influence, applied by the Commission and confirmed by the General Court, is not irrebuttable.
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Tale presunzione di influenza determinante ed effettiva, applicata dalla Commissione e confermata dal Tribunale, non ha carattere assoluto.
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To rebut the presumption, Eni would have had to show that Versalis could act with complete autonomy not only at the operational level but also at the financial level, which it failed to do.
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Per rovesciarla, l’Eni avrebbe dovuto dimostrare che la Versalis poteva agire in piena autonomia sul piano operativo e finanziario, cosa che non ha fatto.
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The Court of Justice also rejects Eni’s argument that, on the basis of the limited liability of capital companies and the separate legal personality of companies, the company is not liable for the infringement committed by its subsidiaries.
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La Corte respinge inoltre l’argomento della società Eni secondo cui, in virtù della responsabilità limitata delle società di capitali e della personalità giuridica distinta delle società, la società non sarebbe responsabile per l’infrazione commessa dalle sue controllate.
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As it follows from established case-law, EU competition law is based on the concept of an undertaking designating an economic unit – even if in law that economic unit consists of several persons, natural or legal – which entity must, according to the principle of personal responsibility, answer for infringements of the competition rules.
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Infatti, come risulta dalla giurisprudenza costante, il diritto dell’Unione in materia di concorrenza si fonda su una nozione di impresa riferita ad un’unità economica – quand’anche essa sia costituita da più persone fisiche o giuridiche - che è tenuta a rispondere delle infrazioni alle regole della concorrenza secondo il principio della responsabilità personale.
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In consequence, the Court of Justice dismisses the appeals in their entirety.
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Di conseguenza, la Corte respinge integralmente l’impugnazione.
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NOTE:
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IMPORTANTE:
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An appeal, on a point or points of law only, may be brought before the Court of Justice against a judgment or order of the General Court.
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Avverso le sentenze o ordinanze del Tribunale può essere presentata impugnazione alla Corte di giustizia, limitatamente alle questioni di diritto.
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In principle, the appeal does not have suspensive effect.
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In linea di principio, l'impugnazione non ha effetti sospensivi.
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If the appeal is admissible and well founded, the Court of Justice sets aside the judgment of the General Court.
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Se essa è ricevibile e fondata, la Corte annulla la decisione del Tribunale.
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Where the state of the proceedings so permits, the Court of Justice may itself give final judgment in the case.
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Nel caso in cui la causa sia matura per essere decisa, la Corte stessa può pronunciarsi definitivamente sulla controversia;
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Otherwise, it refers the case back to the General Court, which is bound by the decision given by the Court of Justice on the appeal.
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in caso contrario, rinvia la causa al Tribunale, vincolato dalla decisione emanata dalla Corte in sede di impugnazione.
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LISTEN WITH READSPEAKER
The Court upholds the judgment of the General Court concerning the cartel
on the synthetic rubbers markets as regards the Italian company Eni SpA
Eni is definitively required to pay a fine of €181.5 million
In 2006 the Commission imposed fines totalling over €519 million on 13
companies for having participated, at different times between 20 May 1996 and 28
November 2002, in a cartel on the market in butadiene rubber (BR) and emulsion
styrene-butadiene rubber (ESBR).
These are synthetic rubbers used in the manufacture of tyres and
different types of consumer goods, such as certain floor coverings and golf
balls.
The inquiry into that cartel had been set in motion by requests for
clemency from Bayer in 2002.
The infringement consisted in fixing price targets, sharing customers
by non-aggression agreements and exchanging sensitive information on prices,
competitors and customers.
In particular, as regards the Italian company Eni SpA and its
subsidiary Polimeri Europa SpA (wholly owned and now Versalis SpA), the
Commission increased the basic fine by 50% for repeated infringements, because
of their participation in two previous cartels, to a total of €272.25 million.
The companies concerned brought an action before the General Court in
2007 seeking the annulment of the Commission’s decision or a reduction in their
respective fines.
By its judgments, delivered in 2011, the General Court annulled the
decision in so far as it concerned Unipetrol, its subsidiary Kaučuk
and Trade Stomil.
As regards Eni and its subsidiary, Polimeri Europa, the General Court
considered that the development of the structure and control of the companies
involved was particularly complex and that the Commission had not proved that
the same undertakings had repeated an infringement.
It therefore reduced the fine imposed jointly and severally on them to
€181.5 million.
In the present case, Eni has appealed to the Court of Justice to have
the judgment of the General Court set aside.
In support of its appeal, Eni submits, in particular, that the General
Court should have annulled the decision of the Commission, inasmuch as it
imputed to Eni the liability for the infringement committed by Syndial SpA
(formerly EniChem SpA, another company in the Eni group) and/or Versalis.
The Court of Justice recalls today that, in accordance with established
case-law, the conduct of a subsidiary may be imputed, for the purposes of the
application of the competition rules, to the parent company particularly where,
although having separate legal personality, that subsidiary does not
autonomously determine its conduct on the market but mostly applies the
instructions given to it by the parent company.
In the particular case in which a parent company holds all or almost
all of the capital in a subsidiary which has committed an infringement of the EU
competition rules, there is a rebuttable presumption that that parent company
exercises an actual decisive influence over its subsidiary.
In the present case, for the entire duration of the infringement in
question, Eni held, directly or indirectly, at least 99.97% of the capital in
the companies which were directly active within its group in the BR and ESBR
sectors (EniChem Elastomeri, EniChem SpA and Versalis).
Since the parent company and its subsidiary form, in the present case,
a single undertaking, the Commission may impose fines on the parent company
without having to establish its individual involvement in the infringement.
The presumption of actual decisive influence, applied by the Commission
and confirmed by the General Court, is not irrebuttable.
To rebut the presumption, Eni would have had to show that Versalis
could act with complete autonomy not only at the operational level but also at
the financial level, which it failed to do.
The Court of Justice also rejects Eni’s argument that, on the basis of
the limited liability of capital companies and the separate legal personality of
companies, the company is not liable for the infringement committed by its
subsidiaries.
As it follows from established case-law, EU competition law is based on
the concept of an undertaking designating an economic unit – even if in law that
economic unit consists of several persons, natural or legal – which entity must,
according to the principle of personal responsibility, answer for infringements
of the competition rules.
In consequence, the Court of Justice dismisses the appeals in their
entirety.
NOTE:
An appeal, on a point or points of law only, may be brought before the
Court of Justice against a judgment or order of the General Court.
In principle, the appeal does not have suspensive effect.
If the appeal is admissible and well founded, the Court of Justice sets
aside the judgment of the General Court.
Where the state of the proceedings so permits, the Court of Justice may
itself give final judgment in the case.
Otherwise, it refers the case back to the General Court, which is bound
by the decision given by the Court of Justice on the appeal.
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