Memo: Antitrust: Commission confirms sending Statement of Objections to alleged participants in heat stabilisers cartel

The European Commission confirmed that it has recently sent (in March 2009) a Statement of Objections to a number of companies active in the heat stabilisers sector, concerning their alleged participation in a cartel in violation of EU rules on restrictive business practices (Article 81 of the EC Treaty and Article 53 of the Agreement on the European Economic Area). Heat stabilisers – in solid or liquid form – are added to PVC products in order to improve their thermal resistance, plasticity, rigidity, transparency and protect them from discolouring.