[7519] The European Commission yesterday issued a harsh warning to businesses seeking to run cartels by fining eight vitamin producers a total of 855 million Euros (£530 million) for fixing prices for almost a decade. Roche, the Swiss drugs group, was fined 462 million in the highest award to date imposed by the EU on a single company for market abuse. BASF, the German chemical group, was fined 296 million for its part in the cartel, which was known as Vitamins Inc and was exposed in 1999. Both BASF, which described its fine as 'inappropriately high', and Roche are considering an appeal. Competition experts said the huge fines underlined the EU's commitment to crackdown on restrictive business practices. Aventis, the French drugs group, escaped fines in connection to two vitamins in return for co-operating with inquiries. Samantha Mobley, EU competition partner at the law firm Baker & McKenzie, said: 'It is the first time a company has achieved a 100 per cent reduction in a fine, illustrating the EU's commitment to encourage whistle-blowers'. According to the second paragraph of the passage, vitamin producers were....