The Competition Council carried out dawn raids at the premises of undertakings active on the market for the import, supply and sale of meat. The competition authority has concerns that the respective companies may have infringed the provisions of Article 5 of the Competition Law, which prohibits anticompetitive agreements on the market.

Context

The Competition Council initiated the investigation following indications of anticompetitive agreements in the field of meat import and trade. Such agreements may have restricted certain undertakings’ access to sources of meat supply, thereby limiting their ability to participate in public procurement procedures, including for the supply of meat to educational institutions.

At the same time, we would like to underline that dawn raids represent a preliminary step in the investigation of possible anticompetitive practices. The fact that such inspections are carried out does not imply a finding that the respective undertakings have engaged in anticompetitive conduct. Following the completion of the inspections, the evidence collected will be examined with a view to undertaking further investigative actions, as necessary, in order to establish the existence or absence of the alleged infringements of competition law.

The legal framework does not provide for a fixed deadline for the completion of investigation proceedings. The duration of such proceedings depends on several factors, including the complexity of each case, the degree of cooperation of the undertakings concerned with the Competition Council, and the exercise of the parties’ rights of defence.

Further information will be communicated as the case progresses.