European Commission officials this past week carried out unannounced inspections at the premises of several companies in the kraft paper and industrial paper sacks sectors. The inspections took place in several member states. 

The Commission reportedly had concerns that the companies may have violated Article 101 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, which prohibits anticompetitive practices such as price fixing and customer allocation. Commission officials were accompanied by their counterparts from the relevant national competition authorities. 

Unannounced inspections are a preliminary step in investigations into suspected cartels. The fact that the Commission carries out such inspections does not mean that the companies are guilty of anti-competitive behavior; nor does it prejudge the outcome of the investigation. The Commission notes that it respects the rights of defense, in particular the right of companies to be heard in antitrust proceedings.

 

There is no legal deadline to complete cartel inquiries. Their duration depends on a number of factors, including the complexity of each case, the extent to which the undertakings concerned co-operate, and the exercise of the rights of defense.