Brussels, 18/01/2012 (Agence Europe) - French companies SAUR, Suez Environnement/Lyonnaise des Eaux and Veolia are in the European Commission's sights after the Commission opened formal antitrust and abuse of dominant position proceedings. The Commission suspects the companies, together with their trade association Fédération Professionnelle des Entreprises de l'Eau (“FP2E”), of coordinating their behaviour on French water and waste water markets, in breach of EU antitrust rules.
The Commission will examine whether the companies coordinated their behaviour, in particular, with respect to elements of the price invoiced to final consumers, contrary to Article 101 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU). The provision of these services is contracted out by local authorities to private companies.
In a press release, the Commission makes clear that the opening of proceedings does not prejudge the outcome of the investigation and says that the duration of antitrust investigations depends on a number of factors, including the complexity of each case, the extent to which the undertakings concerned cooperate with the Commission and the exercise of the rights of defence.
In April 2010, the Commission carried out unannounced “spot” inspections at the premises of several French companies active in the water and waste water services markets. Following that operation, it fined Suez Environnement and its subsidiary Lyonnaise des Eaux (LDE) €8 million for the breach of a seal affixed by the Commission during an inspection at LDE's premises (see EUROPE N.10385). (OL/transl.rt)