18/11/2024 (Agence Europe) – The European Commission is carrying out unannounced inspections on the premises of companies active in the construction of data centres (housing the equipment needed to store and process digital information), the Commission announced on Monday 18 November (https://aeur.eu/f/ede ), saying it had sent “formal requests for information” to several companies in the sector. The Commission is concerned that companies in the data centre construction sector may have breached EU antitrust rules prohibiting cartels and restrictive business practices (Article 101 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU). The Commission is investigating “possible collusion in the form of no-poach agreements”. The fact that the Commission carries out such inspections does not mean that the companies are guilty of anti-competitive behaviour and does not prejudge the outcome of the investigation. (LC)