GC, February 6, 2014, No T-40/10

Judgment of the General Court of 6 February 2014 — Elf Aquitaine v Commission

(Case T-40/10) (1)

(Competition - Agreements, decisions and concerted practices - European markets in tin heat stabilisers and ESBO/esters heat stabilisers - Decision finding two infringements of Article 81 EC and Article 53 of the EEA Agreement - Fines - Application for annulment - Rights of the defence - Late notification of Commission’s investigation - Duration of the administrative procedure - Liability of a parent company for infringements of competition rules committed by its subsidiaries - Presumption of actual exercise of decisive influence - Duration of the infringements - Limitation - Legitimate interest in finding that an infringement was committed - Fines imposed on a parent company differing in amount from those imposed on a subsidiary - Unlimited jurisdiction)

2014/C 78/13

Language of the case: French

Parties

Applicant: Elf Aquitaine (Courbevoie, France) (represented by: É. Morgan de Rivery, S. Thibault-Liger, A. Noël-Baron, lawyers)

Defendant: European Commission (represented by: P. Van Nuffel, J. Bourke and A. Biolan, Agents)

Re:

Application for annulment of Commission Decision C(2009) 8682 final of 11 November 2009 relating to a proceeding under Article 81 [EC] and Article 53 of the EEA Agreement (Case COMP/38.589 — Heat Stabilisers), or, in the alternative, for a reduction of the fines imposed.

Operative part of the judgment

The Court: