Brussels, 03/08/2010 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 3 August, the European Commission confirmed that, starting on 27 July 2010, Commission competition officials carried out unannounced inspections at the premises of companies active in the polyurethane foam sector in several member states. They were accompanied by their counterparts from the relevant national competition authorities. The European Commission suspects companies inspected of anticompetitive practices, especially with regard to price fixing. According to the Belga press agency, one of the companies targeted is the Belgian company, Recticel, whose head office in Brussels and whose London offices were inspected. The offices of Eurofoam in Austria also received a visit from competition officials. European offices of the American foam producer, Carpenter, one of the largest polyurethane foam producers worldwide, is also reported to have been inspected. Carpenter had stated last week that the FBI had searched the company's main office in Virginia. Recticel has said that it will cooperate fully in the investigation. In a press release, the Commission points out that the opening of an investigation in no way prejudges the outcome of the investigation itself. (O.L./transl.jl)