L 38/18 Official Journal of the European Union 10.2.2004 COMMISSION DECISION of 27 November 2002 relating to a proceeding pursuant to Article 81 of the EC Treaty and Article 53 of the EEA Agreement (Case COMP[E-2[37.978/Methylglucamine) (notified under document number C(2002) 4557) (Only the German and French texts are authentic) (Text with EEA relevance) (2004/104/EC) CONTENTS Page SUMMALY .« .ot 20 PART I — FACTS . . oo e e 21 1. The methylglucamine industry . .. ... ... .. 21 L1 The product ... .ottt e e 21 1.2. The market for methylglucamine . ... ... ... ... . . . . 21 1.3, The producers . ... ..ottt e e 22 2.0 Procedure . ... 23 2.1. Investigations in the COMMUILLY . .. ..ottt et e et e 23 2.2. Investigations and proceedings in other jurisdictions . ........... ... .. .. .. L. 24 3. The cartel . ... 24 3.1. The documentary eVidence . ... ... ... ...ttt 24 3.2. Summary of the infringement objected to by the Commission . .. .. ....... ... ... .. .. .... 24 3.3. Background and initial contacts . ... ... ... 24 3.4. The beginning of a structured cartel — Meeting 22 November 1990, Antony, Paris ............. 26 3.5. Structure and content of the collusive arrangement . ............ .. .. ... .. . ... 27 3.5.1. Exchange of information .. ........ ... ... . .. 27 3.5.2. Agreement on certain prices and on the annual price increases . ..................... 28 3.5.3. Market sharing and customer allocation . ............ .. ... .. .. .. .. ... 28 3.5.4. Conclusion on structure and content of the collusive agreement .. ................... 29 3.6. The working and development of the collusive arrangement .. ........... ... ... .. ...... 30 3.7. Annual meeting probably November or December 1991 ... ... ... ... .. .. ... ... ....... 30 3.8. Annual meeting September or October 1992 .. ... ... ... .. ... 31 3.9. Annual meeting Paris 5 October 1993 and/or Frankfurt 12 October 1993 ................... 31 3.10. Annual meeting 19 October 1994, Frankfurt . .. ... . .. 31 3.11. Annual meeting 4 October 1995, Frankfurt . . ... ... .. ... 31 3.12. Introduction of [Merck employee 2] (*) 2 July 1996, Novotel La Defense Paris . .. .............. 31 3.13. Annual meeting 1996 about 24 October 1996, Hotel Intercontinental Frankfurt ............... 32 3.14. Annual meeting 6 October 1997, Novotel La Defense Paris . .. .. .. ......ouitinennenon... 32 (*)  Parts of this text have been edited to ensure that confidential information is not disclosed; those parts are enclosed in square brackets.