Unsupported resilience claims won't stop EU cartel fine, Alchem decision shows
By Lewis Crofts ( February 4, 2026, 15:01 GMT | Comment) -- Alchem failed to convince EU investigators that discussing the weather and harvest yields with competitors in the pharma sector improved “resilience” in the supply chain and didn’t constitute cartel conduct. The details of the decision send a stark message that arguments about resilience or sustainability remain tricky to run inside a hardcore cartel marked by price fixing and quota agreements.Contesting a cartel charge by claiming that an exchange of sensitive information with rivals aimed to strengthen the resilience and sustainability of a sector is unlikely to convince the EU's antitrust enforcer if there isn't significant evidence to back up the argument....
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