The European Commission has confirmed that its officials undertook on April 23 unannounced inspections at the premises of companies active in the sugar industry in several Member States.
The inspections related to the supply of white sugar in its various forms.
The Commission said in a press release on Wednesday that it has reasons to believe that the companies concerned may have violated EU antitrust rules that prohibit cartels and restrictive business practices.
The Commission officials were accompanied by their counterparts from the relevant national competition authorities.
Unannounced inspections are a preliminary step into suspected anticompetitive practices within the European Union. However, the Commission made it clear that 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 respects the rights of defense, in particular the right of companies to be heard in antitrust proceedings.
There is no legal deadline to complete inquiries into anticompetitive conduct.
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