December 19^th, 2011

Mass media

Infringement of articles 1 and 2 of L. 703/1977. Preliminary ruling.

Article 25 par. 4 of the Regulation of Internal Procedure and Management of HCC

Abstains from taking a final decision.

It issues a preliminary ruling, calling on the Directorate-General for Competition to conduct further investigation, as set out in the reasoning of the decision.

Complainant(s)

1. Prefecture of Halkidiki 
2. Telemachos Kyriakou

Respondent(s)

Specific Transport Company “CASSANDRA S.M.E” (Former “Consortium of Owners of Public Use of Tankers for Sewer Drainage and Sewage Transport of Cassandra in the Prefecture of Chalkidiki”).

By its decision (no.532/VI/2011), the competent Chamber of the Hellenic Competition Commission referred back to the Directorate General for Competition, to conduct further investigation, as set out in the reasoning of the decision, in order to find whether there is an infringement of articles 1 and 2 of L. 703/1977, as in force, by members of the specific transport company “CASSANDRA S.M.E”, which operates in the sector of wastewater management in the Kassandra Peninsula of the Prefecture of Chalkidiki.

According to the previous relevant Statement of Objections (SO), the members of the Cassandra Consortium entered into a price-setting agreement between themselves, in violation of Article 1 of Law 703/1977, as in force. 

In particular, the participating companies, in the form of a Consortium and taking advantage of the fact that they hold 100% of the relevant market, jointly decided to draw up a price list, which they implemented, resulting in obtaining important economic benefits. In the SO, it was further ascertained that the members of the Consortium abused their collective dominant position through excessive pricing, in violation of article 2 of L. 703/1977, as in force.

Final. No Appeal.

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