The European Commission fined three battery manufacturers, including Rombat, 72 million euros for participating in a 12-year antitrust cartel.

The European Commission imposed total fines of approximately 72 million euros on three manufacturers of starter batteries for vehicles – Exide, FET (including Elettra) and Rombat, along with the association EUROBAT, for their involvement in a cartel that restricted competition for 12 years.

The cartel coordinated markups based on the cost of lead, affecting the prices of cars and trucks in Europe. Clarios, which revealed the cartel, was not sanctioned. The fines for the other companies vary, with Rombat receiving 20.2 million euros and Exide 30 million euros. The Commission has closed proceedings against other companies involved, and the fines contribute to the EU budget, reducing the tax burden for citizens.