In 2007, a subsidiary of the Trelleborg Group was accused of involvement in a marine hose cartel. In January 2009, the European Commission imposed a penalty of EUR 24.5 M on Trelleborg as a result of this matter.

Immediate action was taken in connection with the accusations, and the individuals who were later found guilty of involvement in the cartel case, despite the Group’s clear guidelines and zero tolerance approach to this type of activity, were then immediately relieved of their positions.

Every specific event related to this case was communicated in press releases (2007, 2009), a year-end report (2009) and in annual reports (2007-2012).

Although Trelleborg accepts the judgment in actual matter of fact, Trelleborg appealed the European Commission’s decision to the General Court of the European Union, upon the advice of leading legal experts, on the grounds that the decision was partially deemed to diverge from Union law applicable at that time regarding interpretation of the...