The fine dwarfed the previous biggest fine for abuse of dominant market position -- 75 million euros -- levied in 1991 against Swedish packaging firm Tetra Pak.

Herewith the 10 previous biggest fines levied against individual companies by the EU executive, which all concerned illegal cartel-type activities:

1. 462 million euros: levied against Swiss chemical firm Hoffman-Laroche in 2001 for leading a vitamins price-fixing cartel.

2. 296 million euros: Germany's BASF fined in 2001 for joining the same vitamins cartel.

3. 249.6 million euros: against French cement group Lafarge in 2002 for fixing prices of plasterboard with other companies.

4. 184 million euros: European paper group Arjo Wiggins fined after probe into carbonless paper sector in 2001.

5. 149 million euros: Japan's Nintendo fined in 2002 for rigging distribution of its computer consoles and games in Europe.

6. 138.6 million euros: British cement firm BPB fined in same plasterboard probe that hit Lafarge in 2002.

7. 118 million euros: German chemicals maker Degussa punished for fixing prices of animal feed.

8. 102 million euros (later reduced on appeal to 90 million euros): German car giant Volkswagen for anti-competitive distribution practices.

9. 99 million euros: German chemicals group Hoechst for operating a price-fixing cartel in chemical preservatives in foods.

10. 85.8 million euros: German group Knauf for joining the plasterboard price-fixing cartel led by Lafarge.

SPACE.WIRE