The Greek Competition Commission has begun the priority examination of a case in the pet and companion animal feed supply markets and has assigned it to a competent Rapporteur. This step forms part of a broader ex officio investigation into the import, production, wholesale and retail markets for pet food for dogs and cats. The inquiry focuses on whether companies in these markets may have engaged in anti-competitive practices through vertical agreements. The aim is to determine whether Article 1 of Law 3959/2011 and Article 101 TFEU apply to the behaviour of importers and distributors in the sector. This development follows earlier actions by the Commission, including surprise on-site inspections, parts of which have already been assigned to a Rapporteur.
Under the law, the Competition Commission is responsible for safeguarding fair and effective competition in the market. Law 3959/2011, along with Articles 101 and 102 TFEU, sets out the rules governing competitive behaviour. These prohibit agreements or coordinated practices between companies that restrict competition, unilateral practices that amount to an invitation to collude or the announcement of future pricing intentions to competitors, and abuses of dominant market positions.
With the assignment of the case to a Rapporteur, the deadlines set out in Article 15 of Law 3959/2011 for issuing a decision are now triggered. This procedural step does not indicate what the Rapporteur’s recommendation or the Commission’s final decision will be. The time needed to complete the investigation will depend on the complexity of the case, the volume of evidence, the number of companies involved and their level of cooperation.