European Union antitrust regulators have carried out unannounced inspections at the facilities of a major chocolate confectionery company as part of an investigation into potential violations of competition rules.
The European Commission confirmed Monday that it is examining whether the unnamed firm may have engaged in practices that restrict trade between member states. According to Bloomberg, the probe centers on possible use of territorial supply constraints—measures that can limit where products are sold within the bloc and potentially undermine the EU’s single market.
Regulators did not disclose the identity of the company under investigation or the specific countries involved. However, the European Commission stated that officials conducted raids at company sites in two EU member states, per Bloomberg.
Read more: Chocolate Giant Mondelez Under EU Investigation for Anti-Competitive Practices
The Brussels-based authority emphasized that the inspections represent an early stage of its inquiry into suspected anticompetitive behavior. Such dawn raids are commonly used to gather evidence before determining whether formal charges are warranted.
Under EU competition law, companies found to have breached cartel or abuse of dominance rules can face fines of up to 10% of their global annual revenue. According to Bloomberg, penalties of that magnitude are rarely imposed, though they remain a significant deterrent.
Source: Bloomberg
