EU fines 15 carmakers €458 million for cartelisation

By: Volodymyr Kolominov | 02.04.2025, 11:08

The European Commission has imposed colossal fines on 15 carmakers and their main lobby group, the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA). They were all accused of a long-running cartel conspiracy to scrap end-of-life cars.

Here's What We Know

An End-of-Life Vehicle or 'ELV' for short is a vehicle that is no longer fit for use due to age, wear and tear or damage. Such vehicles are dismantled for recycling, refurbishment and disposal.

The European Commission found that for more than 15 years, 16 major car manufacturers (including Mercedes, which was not fined) and ACEA entered into anti-competitive agreements and engaged in concerted actions relating to the scrapping of ELVs.

European Commission Vice-President Teresa Ribera said the carmakers co-ordinated their actions to avoid paying for recycling services. They agreed not to compete with each other in advertising the extent to which their cars could be recycled and also agreed to keep quiet about the recycled materials used in their new cars.

The fined companies:

  • Volkswagen - €128 million;
  • Renault/Nissan - €81 million;
  • Stellantis (PSA Peugeot Citroen) - €75m (fine reduced by 50% for co-operating in the investigation);
  • Ford - €41 million (fine reduced by 20% for co-operation in the investigation);
  • Opel - €24 million (fine reduced by 50% for co-operation in the investigation).

BMW, GM, Geely, Honda, Hyundai/Kia, Jaguar, Land Rover/Tata, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Opel, Suzuki, Toyota, and Volvo also received various fines ranging from €1 million to €25 million. ACEA was fined €500,000 for acting as "an intermediary in the cartel by organising numerous meetings and contacts between the carmakers involved".

Mercedes-Benz managed to avoid the €35m fine entirely by reporting its competitors or, as the Commission put it, "uncovering the cartel".

News of the cartel fines came on the same day that the Commission formally proposed relaxing the deadline for compliance with the new CO2 limits that came into force this year.

Source: europa.eu