From Our October 2004 Shell News Archive
Financial Times: Shell apologises for bitumen meetings in Brussels probe
Royal Dutch/Shell said it regretted attending meetings with roadbuilders and bitumen suppliers. The apology came as it responded to charges from the European Commission of possible price-fixing in the Dutch bitumen market.”: Rein Willems, chairman of Shell in the Netherlands, said: “We are concerned about this matter. We should not have been in these meetings and we regret our involvement in this case.”
By James Boxell
Published: October 22 2004
Royal Dutch/Shell said it regretted attending meetings with roadbuilders and bitumen suppliers. The apology came as it responded to charges from the European Commission of possible price-fixing in the Dutch bitumen market.
Rein Willems, chairman of Shell in the Netherlands, said: “We are concerned about this matter. We should not have been in these meetings and we regret our involvement in this case.”
The Anglo-Dutch energy group, which is seeking to restore its reputation after overbooking 23 per cent of its oil reserves, said it had received a “statement of objections” from the Commission, along with 13 other bitumen market participants.
The Commission has been investigating Shell and the other companies, including ExxonMobil, since 2002.
The investigation has been prompted by suspected anti-competitive behaviour going back to the 1990s.
Mr Willems conceded that Shell had been present in a number of meetings with roadbuilders and suppliers during the period under investigation.
Shell said it now had a two-month period to decide how to repond to the cartel charges from the Commission.
“We have to study the objections and review our position,” the company said.
“This is the first official document that we can react to.”
Bitumen is a byproduct of crude oil that is used by the construction industry for asphalt surfacing of roads and waterproofing.
Other companies being investigated include Ballast Nedam, the Dutch construction group that enjoys close links with Neelie Kroes, the incoming European Union competition commissioner.
* Separately yesterday, Nigeria’s Ogoni tribe threatened mass action against a local Royal Dutch/Shell unit unless the company failed to withdraw troops from the Ogoniland area, where it abandoned oilfields in 1993. Shell has denied deploying troops.
RELATED ARTICLE
AFX Europe (Focus): Shell admits role in EU bitumen investigation
“Royal Dutch/Shell Group said it is involved in the European Commission’s investigation into alleged cartel-forming in the bitumen market. In late 2002 the commission raided the offices of a number of oil companies including Shell…”: “We are concerned about this issue,” said Rein Williams, president of Shell Nederland BV. “We should not have been present at these meetings and we regret our connection to this case.”
Posted Oct 22, 2004
AMSTERDAM (AFX) – Royal Dutch/Shell Group said it is involved in the European Commission’s investigation into alleged cartel-forming in the bitumen market.
In late 2002 the commission raided the offices of a number of oil companies including Shell, BP PLC and ExxonMobil Corp, which produce the tar-like product bitumen for road surfacing.
The commission has been investigating the market for the past two years and has accused 14 companies, including Shell, of breaking competition law by coordinating activities on the Dutch market in 2002, the company said.
Shell admitted that it was present at certain meetings with road construction companies and bitumen distributors and provided the EU with details already last year.
“We are concerned about this issue,” said Rein Williams, president of Shell Nederland BV. “We should not have been present at these meetings and we regret our connection to this case.”
Shell said it will study a notice of objections it received from the commission and continue to cooperate fully with the authorities.
cjs/cmr
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Royal Dutch Shell conspired directly with Hitler, financed the Nazi Party, was anti-Semitic and sold out its own Dutch Jewish employees to the Nazis. Shell had a close relationship with the Nazis during and after the reign of Sir Henri Deterding, an ardent Nazi, and the founder and decades long leader of the Royal Dutch Shell Group. His burial ceremony, which had all the trappings of a state funeral, was held at his private estate in Mecklenburg, Germany. The spectacle (photographs below) included a funeral procession led by a horse drawn funeral hearse with senior Nazis officials and senior Royal Dutch Shell directors in attendance, Nazi salutes at the graveside, swastika banners on display and wreaths and personal tributes from Adolf Hitler and Reichsmarschall, Hermann Goring. Deterding was an honored associate and supporter of Hitler and a personal friend of Goring.
Deterding was the guest of Hitler during a four day summit meeting at Berchtesgaden. Sir Henri and Hitler both had ambitions on Russian oil fields. Only an honored personal guest would be rewarded with a private four day meeting at Hitler’s mountain top retreat.
IN JULY 2007, MR BILL CAMPBELL (ABOVE, A RETIRED GROUP AUDITOR OF SHELL INTERNATIONAL SENT AN EMAIL TO EVERY UK MP AND MEMBER OF THE HOUSE OF LORDS: 
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A head-cut image of Alfred Donovan (now deceased) appears courtesy of The Wall Street Journal.
