15/10/2009 (Agence Europe) - The leniency arrangements applied by member states' authorities is gradually becoming more and more harmonised, according to a study by the European Competition Network (ECN) published on Tuesday 13 October. The ECN, which was founded in 2006, is a grouping of the European Commission and the 27 national competition authorities. One of its aims is to bring member states' anti-trust practices into line with those of the Commission (on a voluntary basis). The above-mentioned study notes just such harmonisation, particularly in the area of leniency: where a participant in a cartel can have the sanction reduced if it provides information that is useful to the investigation. Twenty-five member states currently have a leniency policy, only Cyprus and Estonia do not. (C.D./transl.rt)