The Antimonopoly Office of the Slovak Republic (PMÚ) has launched an investigation into potential cartel conduct in the air conditioning, refrigeration, and heat pump sector. On June 10–11, 2025, the authority carried out a series of unannounced inspections at the premises of several businesses operating in this market.
According to the PMÚ, the inspections were prompted by reasonable suspicion of anti-competitive practices. The authority suspects that the undertakings under scrutiny may have entered into an agreement—either formal or informal—the object or effect of which was to restrict competition. Specifically, it is alleged that the companies may have coordinated prices and exchanged commercially sensitive information in relation to the provision of services to end consumers.
If confirmed, such conduct would likely constitute a horizontal agreement between direct competitors, one of the most serious forms of cartel behavior under Slovak and EU competition law. Cartels of this nature undermine market functioning and can lead to artificially inflated prices, reduced innovation, and limited consumer choice. Undertakings found to have participated in such conduct may face fines of up to 10% of their turnover in the previous financial year.
The PMÚ stressed that the initiation of inspections does not in itself imply that the firms involved have breached competition rules, nor does it predetermine the outcome of the ongoing investigation. The authority will continue its inquiry to assess whether competition laws have been violated.
This case underscores the PMÚ’s ongoing commitment to safeguarding market competition and taking decisive action against suspected anti-competitive conduct.
