back to article Sorry Samsung, Philips, LG, Technicolor: EU upholds €1.4bn cartel fine

The European Union's General Court has upheld a €1.4bn (£1bn) fine against Samsung, Philips, LG Electronics and Technicolor for cartel-like behaviour, while reducing fines imposed on Toshiba and Panasonic. In 2012, the European Commission fined the companies €1.47bn for participating in either one or both of two distinct …

  1. Anonymous Blowhard

    "distinct cartels in the sector of cathode ray tubes"

    Next up, an investigation into the telegram industry...

  2. Efros

    Do these fines

    come anywhere near what the profits these companies made from their shenanigans? If they don't then the accountants will just do their bean counting and come to the conclusion that it's a risk worth taking.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Do these fines

      No, why would you think that? Next you'll be expecting the CEOs and other execs to be held responsible for the actions of their corporation. That's not how these things work.

      1. Efros

        Re: Do these fines

        I've often stated on these forums how a few sentences of penal servitude dished out to CEOs and CFOs of misbehaving corporations may have a beneficial effect on corporate behaviour. Unfortunately it always seems to be fines, perhaps the gummints concerned are too eager to get their hands on some cash rather than some justice.

    2. Voland's right hand Silver badge

      Re: Do these fines

      They may do - Eu fine regiment is vicious. Very few companies will find 10% of global turnover over the period of the violation to be something "painless".

  3. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    When does the EU send out the cheques to all the people that bought cathode ray tv's and monitors? I should be due quite a bit, I used to have a bbc/amstrad/286/tv's.

    Edit: I actually remember changing the removable circuit board out of one (the electron gun part, memory is a bit fuzzy if I'm wrong) and swapping it from one with a broken screen.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      It does not

      This is the difference between Eu an FTC.

      FTC compensates consumers so it is a matter of compensation which limits what is being charged.

      Eu fines corporations so the limit is solely in the way it assesses the damage to the market as a whole and the worldwide turnover of the fined corporation. There is no intention to "compensate" the consumer, the intention is to "correct the market distortion". The fines go in the budget and from there on they are used on what the budget is used for.

      This is also where the difference between what was agreed with the FTC and the Eu fine comes from - the Eu fine is a punitive measure, while the FTC agreement is not.

  4. Shane McCarrick

    How do you prove ownership of CRTs from 20 years ago?

    Photographs?

    Annecdotal evidence?

    I had a large 28" Phillips X-Ray diagnostic monitor in my living room for years- best damn screen I ever had- had to get rid of it eventually- when the weight of it caused my table to buckle.

    I've had CRTs from 3 of those manufacturers- however, good luck to me proving it..........

    1. Velv
      Happy

      It's 32" and weighs 48Kgs and is still in my house, so I can certainly prove ownership

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Sounds like my Ashley Madison profile.

  5. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Damn!!

    SWMBO made me throw out my beloved 32" Panasonic CRT just before Christmas, how will I be able to claim my refund on it.

    (To offset some of the cost of the 49" LG UHD TV she made me buy).

  6. John Brown (no body) Silver badge

    Hang on a minute!

    An EU investigation into a cartel fines the participants €millions each and only USA "victims" will get compensation out of settlement fund? Where's the EU consumers compensation? "We" got stung by the artificially high prices and then "we" get stung paying for the case out of our taxes and only the yanks get the cash benefit? TANJ!

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