On Monday 10 March, the European Commission announced that it had carried out unannounced inspections at the premises of companies in the soft drinks sector in several Member States. At the same time, the Commission sent a formal request for information to a company active in the personal care sector.
The Commission is concerned that the companies concerned may have breached EU antitrust rules, which prohibit cartels, restrictive practices and abuses of dominant positions.
The investigation concerns possible restrictions on trade in goods within the single market and market segmentation in several Member States.
Unannounced inspections are a preliminary stage in the investigation of suspected anti-competitive practices. The fact that the Commission carries out such inspections does not mean that companies are guilty of anti-competitive behaviour and does not prejudge the outcome of the investigation itself. The Commission respects the rights of defence, in particular the right of companies to be heard in antitrust proceedings. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)