BRUSSELS, July 7 (Reuters) - The European Union antitrust watchdog on Thursday charged Belgian ethanol producer Alcogrou and Swedish peer Agroetanol with taking part in a bioethanol benchmarks cartel.

"The companies colluded to influence the wholesale price formation mechanism for ethanol in Europe," the European Commission said in a statement.

The EU competition enforcer fined Spain's Abengoa 20 million euros last year for rigging ethanol benchmarks as part of a crackdown on such practices. (Reporting by Foo Yun Chee)