The European Commission announced on Friday 30 September that it has upgraded its online eLeniency platform to ensure that companies involved in antitrust proceedings can easily and securely access documents online.
eLeniency allows companies and their legal representatives to submit statements and documents online as part of leniency, settlement and non-cartel cooperation proceedings. However, until now, access to documents that are subject to particular protection, such as corporate statements, was taking place exclusively on the Commission’s premises.
The new two-way version of the tool will allow the Commission to easily and securely display documents online. In particular:
- With regard to leniency applications, eLeniency users can be notified about letters and decisions in the context of an application for immunity from fines or reduction of fines, including requests for information made under the Commission’s Leniency Notice;
- In the case of settlement procedures for cartels or non-cartel cooperation procedures, the tool can be used to grant access to or notify letters, decisions and other documents (such as decisions to initiation proceedings, statements of objections);
- As regards access to files at the Commission's premises, eLeniency now allows the Commission to grant access online to corporate statements and other leniency material, which were so far accessible only at the Commission’s physical premises.
Access to eLeniency is restricted to users who have been pre-authorised by the Commission on a case-by-case basis. It provides the same guarantees of confidentiality and legal protection as the traditional procedure at the Commission’s premises. All data that is displayed via eLeniency is secure and all functionalities to copy, print or download are disabled. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)