30/01/2024 (Agence Europe) – On Tuesday 30 January, the European Commission announced that its officials, accompanied by their counterparts from the national competition authorities, had carried out unannounced inspections in several Member States at the premises of companies active in the tyre industry. This particularly concerns companies in the industry of new replacement tyres for passenger cars, vans, trucks and buses sold within the European Economic Area. The Commission suspects these companies of having taken part in a cartel aimed at coordinating the prices for these products, including through public communications. This type of anti-competitive behaviour, if confirmed, contravenes Article 101 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU. However, these inspections do not prejudge the outcome of the investigation into the alleged anti-competitive practices. (EV)