The investigation was launched by Spain's competition authority, the Council of the Comisión Nacional de la Competencia (CNC), on 16 March 2011 after an inspection of a number of the companies' headquarters in October 2010 discovered evidence to support formal proceedings.

It found that six competitors had formed exporter business Hispapel as a means to coordinate export sales prices. Hispapel’s executive committee consisted of members from the indicted companies.

Antalis Envelopes Manufacturing, Unipapel, and Manipulados Plana as well as Manufacturas Tompla and two of its subsidiaries, Pacsa, Papelera del Carrión and Sociedad Anónima de Talleras de Manipulación del Papel (SAM) were convicted of having an envelope export agreement in place for anti-competitive practices.

The cartel had been operating between 1981 and April 2011, mainly fixing export prices to Middle East countries and certain EU areas.

Following the verdict, Antalis Envelopes Manufacturing had its fine reduced from €677,717 to €406,630 for "providing information with significant added value for the purposes of proving the existence of the cartel", according to CNC.

Madrid-based Manufacturas Tompla was ordered to pay €629,845. As parent of two companies involved, Tompla was also liable for €122,186 of Pacsa, Papelera del Carrión’s €122,902 fine and €270,664 of SAM’s €274,028 fee.

Unipapel was fined the biggest sum of €2,013,468. Its parent company, Adveo Group International, said: "ADVEO has fully cooperated with the CNC, and will continue to do so, whenever it is requested.

"In relation with the CNC resolution, ADVEO respects the agency’s decision, but it does not agree with. As a consequence, the company has announced its intention to file an appeal before Courts against such resolution."

Miguel Martin, press officer for the CNC, said that another two CNC investigations into Spanish paper cartels are to be resolved by the end of the year.

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