The European Commission has formally accused several construction chemical manufacturers and three national trade associations of colluding to raise prices. In Statements of Objections sent on 20 July 2026, it said its preliminary view is that the companies coordinated future price increases for chemical additives for cement and admixtures for concrete and mortar.
The case, AT.40861, covers three separate suspected infringements in France, Germany and Spain between 2021 and 2022, when raw material costs were rising after the Covid-19 pandemic and Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Press releases as cover
According to the Commission, the alleged coordination took place while the national trade associations were preparing press releases intended to justify the price increases to customers. The addressees are:
- France: Cemex, Chryso, Mapei, Master Builders Solutions, MC Bauchemie, Sika, TAM and the SYNAD association.
- Germany: Cemex, Ha-be, Mapei, Master Builders Solutions, MC Bauchemie, Liesen, Remei, Sika and the Deutsche Bauchemie association.
- Spain: Chryso, Mapei, Master Builders Solutions, MC Bauchemie, Sika and the ANFAH association.
The case began with unannounced inspections at companies in several member states on 17 October 2023, nearly three years before the formal charges.
Not yet a verdict
A Statement of Objections is a formal step that does not prejudge the outcome, the Commission said, and the companies can now respond and defend themselves, a point also stressed in Legal 500’s summary of the case. If the Commission eventually finds an infringement, fines can reach 10% of a company’s annual worldwide turnover. EU law sets no deadline for completing antitrust inquiries.
Industry statements explaining price rises are routine; the Commission’s case is that, in this market, drafting them together became the coordination itself.
What to watch
- The companies’ written replies and any request for an oral hearing.
- Whether any addressee seeks a settlement or leniency reduction before a final decision.
