At a time when the phenomenon of climate change becomes more acute, the need to accelerate the transformation of the Greek economy becomes urgent, through the adoption of actions to promote Green Growth to the benefit of innovation, consumers and citizens overall. In this context, the Hellenic Competition Commission has taken the initiative to launch a dialogue to find and integrate methods and tools of valuation, analysis and assessment of business practices in competition law, taking into account the extent to which they favor or suspend specific sustainable solutions, always committed to ensuring legal certainty for all parties involved. 

The HCC initiative resulted in an extensive international discussion; through the publication in July 2020 of a Staff Discussion Paper on sustainability and competition law; the organization in September 2020 of an international conference on the same subject; the publication in February 2021 of a joint technical study with the Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM); and the participation of the Hellenic Competition Commission as a coordinator (jointly with the ACM) in the working group on this issue set up by the European Competition Network (ECN). 

These actions were followed by a proposal for the creation of a “Sandbox” for sustainable development (sustainability) and competition in the Greek market.

For more information regarding the Competition and Sustainability project check here. 

Digitization has been an accelerator of globalization in the past two decades. It has led to the emergence of new business and brought significant changes in traditional sectors. Competition Authorities play a key role in protecting and enhancing competitive dynamics in the digital space. 

The HCC has launched a Sector Inquiry in E-Commerce and a Sector Inquiry in Fintech in order to actively contribute to the country’s digital transformation and the promotion of innovation and to enhance consumer welfare. The issue of data access has also been raised in the context of the ongoing Sector Inquiry on Private health services and insurance. Finally, the HCC has promoted an agenda of technological change and the use of AI in competition law enforcement, undertaking inception work regarding the use of Computational Competition Law and Economics.  

• Sector Inquiry into E-Commerce
• Sector Inquiry into Fintech
• Computational Competition Law and Economics
• Joint paper of the heads of the national competition authorities of the European Union

How national competition agencies can strengthen the DMA

The European Competition Network (ECN) published a joint paper by the heads of the national competition authorities (NCAs) of the European Union on the DMA proposal. The joint paper addresses the issue of coordination of DMA enforcement with competition law enforcement and makes proposals to enhance the effectiveness of this new tool, by allowing NCAs to enforce the procedures related to compliance with the DMA. The joint paper focuses on institutional aspects that are not, at this stage, present in the proposal, with the objective of making the DMA as effective and future-proof as possible. In their joint paper, the heads of national competition authorities advocate establishing a mechanism for close coordination and cooperation among these agencies in the context of the DMA, which could build on the ECN model that has been successfully established for more than 15 years. 

The Joint Paper as well as the press release by the ECN are available here.

• New article 2A of Greek Competition Act 
• Annual Report of the HCC

European Competition Network (ECN) welcomes European Commission’s Guidelines on abusive exclusionary conduct by dominant undertakings

The competition authorities of the European Competition Network (ECN) issued a Joint Statement on 2 August 2024, in which they welcome the European Commission's Guidelines on the application of Article 102 TFEU and in particular on abusive exclusionary conduct by dominant undertakings, to which the ECN has actively contributed. The Hellenic Competition Commission (HCC) works together with other European competition authorities within the ECN. The ECN considers the draft Guidelines to be an important step in the direction of a workable effects-based approach to Article 102 TFEU, which is key to ensuring meaningful and effective enforcement.

Document  

You can find the Joint statement below: 

Joint statement by the ECN on the European Commission’s initiative to adopt Guidelines on abusive exclusionary conduct by dominant undertakings

ECA

European Competition Authorities (ECA) is a discussion forum set up by the competition authorities within the European Economic Area, the European Commission and the EFTA supervisory authority.

European Competition Authorities was founded in April 2001.  The forum’s objective is to improve cooperation between the authorities and to contribute to an effective enforcement of the national laws and the European competition rules. ECA meetings of the heads of the competition authorities are held once a year. 

ECA Conference 2021

The HCC cooperates with the International Competition Network (ICN) which represents more than 140 authorities and aims to promote convergence between competition laws and policies as well as cooperation between Competition Authorities. The issues discussed within the ICN are of great interest both practically and scientifically and indicate the challenges that the HCC is currently facing or will face in the future. As such the HCC actively participates in conferences and forums organized by the ICN and exchanges information regarding its procedures within the network. 

The Hellenic Competition Commission, in collaboration with the OECD, undertook a competition impact assessment of regulations potentially restricting competition in four key sectors for the Greek economy: retail, food processing, construction materials, and tourism. This exercise led to the revision of more than 1,000 pieces of legislation and more than 320 recommendations on legal provisions that should be amended or repealed. The HCC received an honorable mention in 2014 advocacy contest.

The Hellenic Competition Commission also contributed to the Unilateral Conduct Workbook Chapter 3:  Assessment of Dominance (“The Effect of Buyer Power on the Assessment of Dominance”) presented at the 10th Annual ICN Conference,  The Hague, Netherlands May 2011. 

An important forum for discussing competition policy issues is the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) with its Competition Committee and its two working groups on “Competition and Regulation” and “International Cooperation”.

The OECD Competition Committee and its working groups meet twice a year. The Global Forum on Competition is held with a larger group of participants, at which the OECD members exchange views and experience with delegates from emerging economies and developing countries. The President of the HCC, Prof. Ioannis Lianos, was elected as a regular member to the 2021 Bureau of the OECD Competition Committee. It is the first time that a Greek official is elected to this office, representing the Hellenic Competition Commission. 

The HCC is active within the OECD’s Competition Committee and the Global Forum on Competition, which every year brings together experts from more than 100 competition authorities throughout the world. It participates in the Forum by making written contributions, which are published, and by speaking during sessions.

•  HCC Contributions
• Annual Reports 
• Publications 
  

The United Nations Conference on trade and Development (UNCTAD), is a permanent intergovernmental body. Governed by 195 Member States, UNCTAD is the United Nations body responsible for dealing with development issues. One of its concerns is Competition Policy. The HCC is an active member of the Cross-Border Cartels Working Group and co-sponsored a proposal to enhance international cooperation on this important issue. The HCC is currently working on a project enhancing cooperation in exchanging knowledge and experience in the use of technology and AI for competition law enforcement purposes, in particular between developed, emergent and developing jurisdictions.

The intergovernmental group of experts for Competition Law and Competition Policy holds a meeting annually in Geneva. The Greek delegation (the President of HCC as well as two members of its staff) participated in the 8^th United Nations Conference on Competition and Consumer Protection that took place in October, 2020.