The Belgian Competition Council has fined three cement producers and two associations for colluding to restrict access for new entrants to the Belgian cement market. The allegations date back to a period between May 2000 and October 2003 when the BCC alleges that the parties attempted to delay the adoption of a license and standards that would make it possible to use Ground Granulated Blastfurnace Slag (GGBS) as a component of ready-mix concrete.
The three cement producers – namely CBR (part of the Heidelberg Group), CCB (a subsidiary of Italcementi) and Holcim Belgium – together with FEBELCEM and the National Center for Technical and Scientific Research for the Cement Industry (CRIC/OCCN) have been fined a total of €14 700 000.
The BCC claims that the parties were trying to protect their commercial interests by delaying the import of GGBS by a producer called ORCEM, which has presented the additive as a substitute for cement.
Adapted from press release by Katherine Guenioui