Judgment of the Court of First Instance (First Chamber) 10 March 1992

In Case T-9/89,

THE COURT OF FIRST INSTANCE OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES (First Chamber), composed of: J. L. Cruz Vilaça, President, R. Schintgen, D. A. O. Edward, H. Kirschner and K. Lenaerts, Judges, Advocate General: B. Vesterdorf, Registrar: H. Jung,

having regard to the written procedure and further to the hearing held from 10 to 15 December 1990,

after hearing the Opinion of the Advocate General at the sitting on 10 July 1991,

gives the following

Judgment

Facts and background to the action

Procedure

Forms of order sought by the parties

Substance

The rights of the defence

1. Nondisclosure of documents upon notification of the statement of objections

2. Insufficient access to the file

3. Fresh objections

4. Inadequate investigation of the facts

5. Nondisclosure of the minutes of the hearings

6. Nondisclosure of the hearing officer's report

Proof of the infringement

1. The findings of fact

I. As regards the period from 1977 to the end of 1978 or the beginning of 1979

A. The contested decision

B. Arguments of the parties

C. Assessment by the Court

II. The period from the end of 1978 or the beginning of 1979 to November 1983

A. The system of regular meetings

(a) The contested decision

(b) Arguments of the parties

(c) Assessment by the Court

B. The price initiatives

(a) The contested decision

(b) Arguments of the parties

(c) Assessment by the Court

C. The measures designed to facilitate the implementation of the price initiatives

(a) The contested decision

(b) Arguments of the parties

(c) Assessment by the Court

D. Target tonnages and quotas

(a) The contested decision

(b) Arguments of the parties

(c) Assessment by the Court

2. The application of Article 85(1) of the EEC Treaty

A. Legal characterization

(a) The contested decision

(b) Arguments of the parties

(c) Assessment by the Court

B. Restrictive effect on competition

(a) The contested decision

(b) Arguments of the parties

(c) Assessment by the Court

C. Effect on trade between Member States

(a) The contested decision

(b) Arguments of the parties

(c) Assessment by the Court

D. Collective responsibility

(a) The contested decision

(b) Arguments of the parties

(c) Assessment by the Court

3. Conclusion

The statement of reasons

1. Insufficient reasoning

2. Contradictory reasons

The fine

1. The limitation period

2. The duration of the infringement

3. The gravity of the infringement

A. The applicant's limited role

B. Lack of individualization in the criteria for determining the fines

C. The alleged failure to take proper account of the effects of the infringement

D. Incorrect definition of the relevant market

Reopening of the oral procedure

Costs

1 Language of the case: German.