PRESS RELEASE

A THREE MILLION EURO FINE IMPOSED ON SEVEN CONCRETE PRODUCERS IN VENETO FOR ANTI-COMPETITIVE AGREEMENTS

The ICA imposed a fine of approximately 3 million Euros cumulatively on seven companies that produce concrete in Veneto for realizing two anti-competitive agreements aimed at fixing prices and allocating customers among the participants. The companies are General Beton Triveneta, SuperBeton, Mosole, Jesolo Calcestruzzi, Ilsa Pacifici Remo, F.lli De Pra and F.lli Romor, besides their consultancy firm Intermodale. The first agreement was carried out by 5 of the above mentioned companies between 2010 and 2013 in the province of Belluno; the second agreement took place between 2013 and 2014 with the coordination of three producers in the province of Venice, sea area, including the municipalities of Caorle, Jesolo and San Donà di Piave. In both cases, the agreements were realized through the services provided by the consultancy firm Intermodale. Investigations were launched on the basis of information acquired during a previous investigation closed on 25 March 2015.

The two agreements were aimed, in particular, at allocating the sites supplying concrete and fixing the sale prices in the two geographical markets of Veneto mentioned above. In both cases, the coordination was designed to maintain the historical clients of each mentioned company in a period characterized since 2008 by a relevant demand contraction and higher competition among producers. The agreements involved the main operators of the mentioned geographical areas, representing almost the totality of the market as regards the area of Venice, sea area, and about 50% of that of Belluno.

The mechanism of the two agreements, analogously to what ascertained in the previous investigation, included the exchange of information concerning the historical shares (before the crisis) and the sites open or in phase of opening. These data were collected by Intermodale and processed in summary charts, then distributed and discussed during regular meetings, usually on a weekly basis - different for the two agreements - often including also the price of reference of the supply.

Rome, 18 January 2016