Fines of hundreds of millions of euros for car manufacturers

15 car manufacturers, including Renault, Stelantis, Ford, Volkswagen, and the Association of European Automobile Builders (ACE), were fined by the European Commission for 458 million euros, because they participated in a cartel in the field of vehicle recycling.

Recycling of vehicles removed from use occurs when the cars are disassembled and processed for recycling and elimination, because they are no longer suitable for use.

Cartel operations were carried out between May 2002-September 2017, car manufacturers and that organizing meetings and contacts between companies.

According to the EC, the car manufacturers agreed not to compete with each other regarding the publication of the data regarding the recycling of their cars and have agreed to keep silence on the amount of recycled materials used in new cars. You also agreed not to pay the wires that dismantled the cars for processing the vehicles out of use.

EU legislation asks for car manufacturers to bear the costs of recycling vehicles out of use if necessary.

The biggest fines were received by Volkswagen (127.69 million euros), Renault-Nissan (81.46 million euros), Stellantis (74.93 million euros) and Ford (41.46 million euros). Other members of the cartel who have been penalized are Toyota, Mitsubishi, Honda, Hyundai, Jaguar Land Rover, Mazda, GM, Suzuki and Volvo. The fine of the Association of European Automobile Builders located at 500,000 euros.

Mercedes-Benz, who also participated, did not receive a fine because he revealed the CARTUL OF EC officials.

All car manufacturers recognized their mistakes, in exchange for a 10% reduction in their fines.

Which had announced in 2022 unannounced inspections at several associations and car companies because they had violated the regulations of the Community Block about cartels.