The manufacturing and industrial sector covers a broad range of sub-sectors, including mining, construction, and its related materials (cement, steel, bricks) and manufacturing of all kinds including chemicals, and motor vehicles.
Merger control and antitrust enforcement have involved cases across a broad spectrum of this sector including specialty chemicals, automatic doors, metal recycling, the production and sale of pigments, motor vehicle spare parts and aluminium products.
The car manufacturing sector in particular has neen the focus of investigations into cartels involving the producers of various car parts including brakes, airbags, seatbelts, and steering wheel covers. As car manufacturing develops to include green initiatives, more recent antitrust investigations have included the recycling of car batteries and collusion to restrict competition on emission cleaning technology for diesel passenger cars.
State aid has also played a critical role in easing the transition of industry and manufacturing towards greener and more sustainable solutions. For example, the Commission has approved government assistance for the smooth closure of mines, the development of electric vehicles and electric vehicle infrastructure, the production of green steel, zero CO2 emission tyre factories and the development of microchips. For futher information see below the links to Important Projects of Common European Interest (IPCEIs) and the State Aid Temporary Crisis and Transition Framework (TCTF).