EC investigates 13 disk drive suppliers over price-fix "cartel"

Companies under investigation for bid-rigging could face hefty fine for severe breach of antitrust laws

Some 13 suppliers and two OEMs are implicated in a European Commission (EC) investigation into a possible cartel designed to fix pricing of optical disk drives.

A statement released today reveals that the baker's dozen of firms have been informed of the EC's "preliminary view that they may have infringed EU antitrust rules by participating in a worldwide cartel". The suppliers may have "coordinated their behaviour in bidding events organised by two major original equipment manufacturers", according to the EC.

The disk drives in question were reportedly destined for use in notebook and desktop PCs, and servers. The Commission believes that "the companies concerned engaged for at least five years in bid rigging". The price-rigging "may have ultimately affected customers that bought optical disk drives manufactured by the companies concerned".

The accused firms now have the chance to respond the EC in writing and request an oral hearing in which to plead their case. Should they be found to have infringed antitrust regulations, the companies could be fined as much as 10 per cent of their global turnover.