American company Corning, the manufacturer of Gorilla Glass, has avoided an antitrust fine from the European Commission by agreeing to end exclusive agreements with mobile phone manufacturers, Engadget reports.
Under the terms of the agreement, Corning will remove exclusivity clauses in all current contracts with smartphone manufacturers and glass processing companies, and the company will be prohibited from entering into similar agreements in the future.
In addition, Corning will not be able to require customers to purchase any Alkali-AS (commercial name Gorilla Glass) within the European Economic Area. Globally, the company is allowed to supply no more than 50% of its customers' total demand for this type of glass.
The European Commission's decision follows an investigation conducted in 2024, in which Corning was accused of creating anti-competitive conditions and negatively affecting innovation through rebates and requirements for the exclusivity of its products. It is noted that Corning undertakes to comply with the agreement for 9 years, and its implementation will be monitored by an independent trustee.
The company managed to avoid a fine that could have amounted to up to 10% of annual revenue. In a statement, Corning stressed that it did not violate the law and its business was not significantly affected.