On Friday 6 October, the European Commission announced that it had carried out inspections in certain member states, on Tuesday 3 October, concerning restrictions of access to online bank account information.
The entities that were inspected, companies or representation associations, are suspected of having blocked rival non-bank providers of financial services from having access to customers' bank account information, even though the customers had consented to this access. The Commission has concerns that these practices constitute a breach of EU anti-trust rules and/or abuse of dominant market positions, in view of articles 101 and 102 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU).
The institution has not revealed which companies or member states were involved in the investigation. It adds that the inspections were carried out in partnership with the national competition authorities of the member states in question and that they by no means prejudge the outcome of the investigation. (Original version in French by Lucas Tripoteau)