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Jurisdiction(s):
United Kingdom
Key definition
Cartel definition

What does Cartel mean? In legal practice, a cartel is coordination between competing undertakings to restrict competition, typically price-fixing, rigged bids (collusive tenders), limiting output or setting quotas, or sharing/dividing markets by allocating customers, suppliers, territories or lines of trade. It may take the form of an agreement, decision or concerted practice, including exchanges of commercially sensitive information that align market behaviour. In UK civil competition law this conduct infringes the Chapter I prohibition in the Competition Act 1998; in Ireland it infringes section 4 of the Competition Act 2002 and, where applicable, Article 101 TFEU. The term is a descriptive label...

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CJEU dismisses Philips’ appeal in smart card chips cartel: information exchange restriction by object; single continuous infringement, leniency evidence accepted, and fine upheld under Article 101 TFEU

Practice notes
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CASE HUB ARCHIVED

This archived case hub reflects the position as at the judgment dated 26 September 2018 and is no longer maintained. See further: timeline and relevant/related cases

Case facts

Outline

Philips brought an appeal against the General Court’s ruling that confirmed the Commission’s decision of 3 September 2014 (Case AT.39226). That decision established an Infringement of Article 101 TFEU and levied fines on Philips for its purported involvement in a Cartel relating to the supply of smart card chips.

Outcome

On 26 September 2018, the Court of Justice delivered its judgment, dismissing Philips’ appeal in its entirety.

Parties

Applicant:

  • Koninklijke Philips NV (Philips)
  • Philips France SAS (Philips France)

Defendant:

  • European Commission

Philips, headquartered in the Netherlands, is a global technology company also engaged in the production and supply of smart card chips.

Market(s)

The supply of smart card chips within the EEA. Smart card chips are deployed in mobile telephone SIM cards, bank cards, identity cards and passports, pay TV cards, and numerous other applications...

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Web page updated on 21/05/2026

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