EETT investigates anti-competitive practices and, where appropriate, imposes sanctions or corrective measures in order to restore proper market functioning and improve market conditions.
Anti-competitive practices may consist of agreements or conduct by undertakings (and associations of undertakings) which have as their objective or effect the prevention, restriction or distortion of competition, particularly in cases liable to affect trade between Member States of the European Union (EU), in accordance with national and EU competition law.
In particular, the above practices include, among others, the following:
- Cartels: Agreements or concerted practices between competitors involving price fixing, allocation of geographic markets or customers, limitation of service supply, or coordination in public procurement procedures.
- Abuse of a dominant position: Practices by undertakings holding a dominant position in the relevant market, including excessive or discriminatory pricing, various forms of refusal to grant access to essential infrastructure, the imposition of restrictive conditions, among others.
- Vertical restrictive agreements: Restrictions in commercial relations between providers and service distributors, such as resale price maintenance, mandatory exclusivity arrangements, or prohibitions on parallel supply.
- Agreements restricting service availability: Coordination of supply intended to maintain high prices or limit consumers’ access to services.
- Exclusionary practices or indirect barriers to market entry: Conduct or conditions that hinder market entry by new competitors or the development of new services.
- Restrictions on innovation or technological access: Coordinated actions that discourage technological development or restrict the availability of innovative services to other undertakings.