The Hellenic Competition Commission (HCC) has carried out an unannounced inspection at the premises of a company operating in Greece’s private tutoring sector, as part of an ongoing ex officio investigation into potential violations of national and EU competition rules.
The dawn raid, conducted on 4 April 2025, reflects the HCC’s continued attention to competitive conditions in the private education market—an industry that has become increasingly significant in Greek household budgets. The investigation is reportedly examining whether the company has engaged in anti-competitive practices, specifically in relation to vertical agreements that may restrict market competition, in possible breach of Article 1 of Greek Law 3959/2011 and Article 102 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU).
According to data cited by the authority, general education tutoring accounted for 16.2% of household educational expenditures and 0.7% of total consumption spending in 2023, with a sharp 35% increase in private tutoring expenditures recorded between 2021 and 2023. These figures underscore the economic weight of the sector and the potential impact of anti-competitive conduct on Greek consumers.
The HCC was careful to clarify that the inspection does not imply any presumption of guilt. “Unannounced inspections are a preliminary step in the context of investigating possible antitrust violations,” the Commission stated. “They do not mean that the undertaking in question has necessarily engaged in anti-competitive behavior, nor do they prejudge the outcome of the investigation.”
The investigation is rooted in the enforcement of both national and EU competition rules. Article 1 of Law 3959/2011 and Article 101 TFEU prohibit agreements between undertakings that prevent, restrict, or distort competition. In parallel, Article 2 of the Greek law and Article 102 TFEU prohibit the abuse of a dominant position in the market.
In addition, the HCC refers to Article 1A of Law 3959/2011, which addresses unilateral practices such as public price announcements intended to signal future pricing strategies to competitors—potentially a form of tacit collusion.
The case underscores the Commission’s continued vigilance in sectors critical to household welfare, particularly amid rising cost-of-living pressures. As the investigation unfolds, it will serve as a litmus test of the HCC’s enforcement posture in an increasingly digital and service-driven economy.
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