Lead battery manufacturer Rombat’s legal tussle over a fine for breaching EU antitrust rules is set to drag on for up to two years, the firm’s parent company has revealed.

South Africa’s Metair Investments launched an appeal over Rombat’s €20.2 million ($24 million) fine from the European Commission last March.

However, Metair warned on August 3 that the legal battle could drag on for two years before the case is finalised. Metair also said a financial guarantee, as security for the first instalment of the fine, is being provided following an interim hearing last month at the General Court — the lower court of the Court of Justice of the European Union, handling cases brought by individuals, companies, and member states against EU institutions.

In December 2025, the European Commission named several manufacturers, including Rombat, it said had entered into “anticompetitive agreements and engaged in concerted practices related to the sale of automotive starter batteries to automotive original equipment manufacturers in the European Economic Area” for more than 12 years.

Fines totalling around €72 million were issued, including those for Exide and FET (including its predecessor Elettra), together with trade association EUROBAT. Clarios (formerly JC Autobatterie), was also named, but not fined, because it received full immunity for revealing the existence of the cartel.

The Commission said that as lead was the most important input material and cost factor for the batteries concerned, battery producers paid a premium to suppliers to procure lead with the necessary quality.

“This cartel restricted competition and may have led to higher prices for the manufacturing of cars and trucks in Europe.”