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MEMO/07/53
Brussels, 13th February 2007
Competition: Commission has carried out
inspections in the power transformers sector
The European Commission can confirm that on 7th and 8th February 2007
Commission officials carried out unannounced inspections at the premises of
several power transformer producers in France, Germany and Austria. The function
of power transformers is to reduce or to increase the voltage in an electrical
circuit, and they are therefore key constituent components in electricity
transmission and distribution networks. The Commission has reason to believe
that the companies concerned may have violated Article 81 of the EC Treaty,
which prohibits practices such as price fixing.
The Commission officials were accompanied by their counterparts from the
national competition authority.
Surprise inspections are a preliminary step in investigations into suspected
cartels. The fact that the European Commission carries out such inspections does
not mean that the companies are guilty of anti-competitive behaviour nor does it
prejudge the outcome of the investigation itself. The European Commission
respects the rights of defence, in particular the right of companies to be heard
in antitrust proceedings.
There is no strict 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 defence.
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