[REVISION HISTORY]

Construction industry price‑fixing probes in Europe

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What changed

2026-08-07 05:46 UTC → 2026-08-07 20:48 UTC · added ~~removed~~

In July 2026 the European Commission opened formal antitrust proceedings against manufacturers and trade associations in Spain, France and Germany for colluding to fix prices of chemical additives used in cement, concrete and mortar. The firms were accused of coordinating price increases in 2021‑2022 and preparing joint press releases to justify the hikes. The Commission issued statements of objections and gave the companies a deadline to respond, warning that confirmed violations could lead to fines of up to 10 % of worldwide turnover. In early August 2026 Germany’s Federal Cartel Office (Bundeskartellamt) imposed €60.3 million in fines on six road‑construction companies for a long‑running cartel that manipulated prices and contract allocations in the “thin asphalt layers in cold construction” market. The cartel operated from 2010 until it dissolved in September 2019, using coded language to exchange price directives. The fines were levied after coordinated raids and an investigation that uncovered the scheme’s impact on public‑infrastructure projects across the country. ~~No further construction‑related~~ The situation remains unchanged, with no additional construction‑sector antitrust ~~actions have been~~ measures reported ~~as of~~ through early August 2026.

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