23/10/2017 (Agence Europe) – In a press release published on Monday 23 October, the European Commission revealed that, on that same day, its officials had carried out inspections at the premises of car manufacturers in Germany. This announcement follows on from the one published on Friday 20 October in which the Commission said it had conducted a spot check, later confirmed by BMW, on 16 October. Since July, the Commission has been investigating revelations of a possible cartel in the German car industry (see EUROPE 11835), in violation of EU antitrust rules which prohibit cartels and restrictive business practices (Article 101 TFEU). Inspections are a preliminary step in investigations of suspected anti-competitive practices, the Commission says in its press release, but are in no way an indication that the inspected companies are guilty of anti-competitive behaviour. (PH)