{"id":12305,"date":"2022-07-24T21:02:47","date_gmt":"2022-07-24T21:02:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/legalblog.ie\/?p=12305"},"modified":"2022-11-19T20:40:03","modified_gmt":"2022-11-19T20:40:03","slug":"eu-commission-enforcement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/legalblog.ie\/eu-commission-enforcement\/","title":{"rendered":"EU Commission Enforcement [EU]"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_63 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title \" >Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/legalblog.ie\/eu-commission-enforcement\/#Implementing_EU_competition_rules\" title=\"Implementing EU competition rules\">Implementing EU competition rules<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/legalblog.ie\/eu-commission-enforcement\/#Investigative_phase\" title=\"Investigative phase\">Investigative phase<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/legalblog.ie\/eu-commission-enforcement\/#Procedures_leading_to_a_prohibition_decision\" title=\"Procedures leading to a prohibition decision\">Procedures leading to a prohibition decision<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/legalblog.ie\/eu-commission-enforcement\/#Commitment_procedure\" title=\"Commitment procedure\">Commitment procedure<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/legalblog.ie\/eu-commission-enforcement\/#Procedure_for_rejecting_complaints\" title=\"Procedure for rejecting complaints\">Procedure for rejecting complaints<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/legalblog.ie\/eu-commission-enforcement\/#Additional_guidance\" title=\"Additional guidance\">Additional guidance<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/legalblog.ie\/eu-commission-enforcement\/#Competition_proceedings_%E2%80%94_The_role_of_the_hearing_officer\" title=\"Competition proceedings \u2014 The role of the hearing officer\">Competition proceedings \u2014 The role of the hearing officer<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Implementing_EU_competition_rules\"><\/span>Implementing EU competition rules<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The notice explains how the Commission applies:<\/p>\n<p>Regulation (EC) No 1\/2003 (see summary);<br \/>\nRegulation (EC) No 773\/2004 (see summary).<br \/>\nAnnex 1 of the notice summarises the essence of the notice in the form of a flowchart.<\/p>\n<p>Procedure<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Investigative_phase\"><\/span>Investigative phase<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Cases of alleged anti-competitive behaviour may be:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>based on complaints from companies, natural and legal persons or EU governments;<\/li>\n<li>opened by the Commission itself, which also encourages companies and the public to inform it of suspected wrongdoing;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>In an initial assessment, the Commission:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>allocates the case within the European Competition Network;<\/li>\n<li>examines if a case merits further investigation;<\/li>\n<li>discards some cases because of insufficient grounds for acting;<br \/>\nfocuses on cases with a significant impact on the internal market and risk harming consumers;<\/li>\n<li>informs the addressees of investigative measures of their subject and purpose;<\/li>\n<li>alerts complainants of the action it proposes to take;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>By formally opening proceedings, the Commission:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>signals it will further investigate the case;<\/li>\n<li>identifies and informs the parties involved and describes the scope of the investigation;<\/li>\n<li>emphasises the procedure does not prejudge the existence of a violation;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The Commission may:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>require companies to provide it with all necessary information within specific time limits;<\/li>\n<li>hold meetings with the parties concerned, complainants or others;<\/li>\n<li>take statements from natural or legal persons with useful input;<\/li>\n<li>inspect a company\u2019s premises and other sites;<\/li>\n<li>share information with national competition authorities;<\/li>\n<li>organise voluntary state of play information meetings with companies under investigation at key stages of the case;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>allow the parties to review key submissions such as a non-confidential version of the complaint at an early stage;<\/p>\n<p>The possible outcomes of the investigative phase are:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>the adoption of a statement of objections with a view to a prohibition decision on all or some of the issues identified;<\/li>\n<li>discussion of a possible commitment decision with the companies involved, if they wish, to address the competition issues at stake;<\/li>\n<li>closure of the proceedings if there are no grounds to continue.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Procedures_leading_to_a_prohibition_decision\"><\/span>Procedures leading to a prohibition decision<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>After its in-depth investigation, the Commission adopts, to guarantee the company\u2019s right to be heard, a statement of objections. This preliminary assessment of the alleged violations:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>informs the companies of the charges they face, giving them an opportunity to respond;<\/li>\n<li>sets out the remedies the Commission plans to impose to end the anti-competitive behaviour;<br \/>\nindicates whether the Commission plans to levy fines on the companies, how these might be calculated and whether they might be reduced;<\/li>\n<li>allows the addressees to access the Commission case file and, if necessary, certain confidential information;<br \/>\nprovides the companies with the right of a written reply;<\/li>\n<li>associates complainants with the proceedings by giving them a non-confidential version of the statement of objections;<\/li>\n<li>gives the parties concerned the right to an oral hearing to develop their written arguments, supplement their written evidence or inform the Commission of other relevant issues;<\/li>\n<li>is followed by a supplementary statement of objections if relevant new evidence emerges or the companies, which may respond to the new developments, face heavier penalties.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>At the end of the process, the Commission may:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>decide a violation of the relevant competition rules has taken place;<\/li>\n<li>withdraw some of its objections while proceeding with the others;<\/li>\n<li>close the case.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Commitment_procedure\"><\/span>Commitment procedure<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The Commission:<\/p>\n<p>encourages companies to signal an interest in discussing commitments as early as possible;<br \/>\nmay accept commitments from a company if it volunteers to act to correct its anti-competitive behaviour;<br \/>\nrejects commitments if it considers the illegal activity deserves a fine;<br \/>\ntakes no decision whether a violation of EU law has taken place or not, if it accepts the commitments.<\/p>\n<p>The procedures require the Commission to:<\/p>\n<p>issue a preliminary assessment, summarising the main facts and identifying the action the company should take;<br \/>\ngive the companies 1 month to submit unambiguous and self-executing commitments to change their behaviour or implement structural changes;<br \/>\npublicise the commitments, before making them binding, so third parties and any claimant may react to them \u2014 a process known as the \u2018market test\u2019;<br \/>\ncontinue with the prohibition procedure if a company refuses to adapt its commitments in the light of the market test or new information.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Procedure_for_rejecting_complaints\"><\/span>Procedure for rejecting complaints<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The Commission:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>considers formal complaints;<\/li>\n<li>assesses them in the light of the factual and legal circumstances of a particular case;<\/li>\n<li>may reject them because of:\n<ul>\n<li>insufficient grounds for acting<\/li>\n<li>a lack of competence, evidence or substantiation<\/li>\n<li>informs the complainant, who may withdraw the allegation or try to convince the Commission to continue its investigation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Adoption, notification and publication of decisions<\/p>\n<p>The Commission provides the companies involved immediately with the decision after it has been taken, issues a press release and publishes a non-confidential version on the Directorate-General for Competition\u2019s website.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Additional_guidance\"><\/span>Additional guidance<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The following Commission notices are also relevant to the proceedings:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>access to the Commission file;<\/li>\n<li>handling of complaints;<\/li>\n<li>terms of reference of the hearing officer.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The notice does not cover the following which have their own guidance:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>cartel-specific leniency and settlement procedures;<\/li>\n<li>infringements against EU governments based notably on Article 106 TFEU in conjunction with Articles 101 and 102;<\/li>\n<li>proceedings under the Merger Regulation (Regulation (EC) No 139\/2004);<\/li>\n<li>state aid proceedings (under Regulation (EU) 2015\/1589 which repealed and replaced Regulation (EC) No 659\/1999).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>It has applied since 20 October 2011.<\/p>\n<p>BACKGROUND<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Competition_proceedings_%E2%80%94_The_role_of_the_hearing_officer\"><\/span>Competition proceedings \u2014 The role of the hearing officer<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Decision 2011\/695\/EU \u2014 on the function and terms of reference of the hearing officer in certain competition proceedings<\/p>\n<p>The decision sets out the powers and functions of the hearing officers.<br \/>\nThey are appointed by the European Commission and are linked, for administrative purposes, to the Commissioner responsible for competition policy.<br \/>\nThey must act independently in carrying out their role.<\/p>\n<p>Role<\/p>\n<p>HOs organise and conduct oral hearings in antitrust and merger proceedings.<br \/>\nThey may act as independent arbiter when a dispute arises over procedural rights between parties and the Commission\u2019s Directorate-General (DG) for Competition.<br \/>\nThey decide on applications to be heard by third parties in competition proceedings.<\/p>\n<p>The main tasks of the HO are to:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>to ensure the effective exercise of procedural rights throughout proceedings including commitments and cartel* settlement procedures;<\/li>\n<li>to ensure the right to be heard;<\/li>\n<li>to deal with specific issues raised during the investigative phase of Commission proceedings, including:<\/li>\n<li>claims for legal professional privilege<\/li>\n<li>the privilege against self-incrimination<\/li>\n<li>deadlines for replying to decisions requiring information<\/li>\n<li>the right of companies and associations of companies to be informed of their procedural status;<\/li>\n<li>to ensure that the right to access the file and the companies\u2019 legitimate interests in confidentiality are respected;<\/li>\n<li>to report on the outcome of the hearing and on the respect for the effective exercise of procedural rights; and<\/li>\n<li>to present, where appropriate, observations to the Competition Commissioner on any matter arising out of individual competition proceedings.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>It has applied since 21 October 2011.<\/p>\n<!--themify_builder_content-->\n<div id=\"themify_builder_content-12305\" data-postid=\"12305\" class=\"themify_builder_content themify_builder_content-12305 themify_builder tf_clear\">\n    <\/div>\n<!--\/themify_builder_content-->\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Implementing EU competition rules The notice explains how the Commission applies: Regulation (EC) No 1\/2003 (see summary); Regulation (EC) No 773\/2004 (see summary). Annex 1 of the notice summarises the essence of the notice in the form of a flowchart. Procedure Investigative phase Cases of alleged anti-competitive behaviour may be: based on complaints from companies, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[125,161],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/legalblog.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12305"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/legalblog.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/legalblog.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/legalblog.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/legalblog.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12305"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/legalblog.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12305\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":20546,"href":"https:\/\/legalblog.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12305\/revisions\/20546"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/legalblog.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12305"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/legalblog.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12305"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/legalblog.ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12305"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}