The European Commission has announced that it carried out unannounced antitrust inspections at the premises of a company active in the vaccines sector, amid concerns of possible violations of EU competition rules.
The inspections form part of a preliminary inquiry into suspected abuses of a dominant market position under Article 102 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU). Specifically, the Commission is investigating potential exclusionary practices that may constitute anticompetitive disparagement. Officials from the Commission were joined by representatives of the relevant national competition authorities during the inspections.
The Commission underlined that the fact of conducting inspections does not imply that the company has engaged in anticompetitive conduct, nor does it prejudge the outcome of the investigation. The rights of defence, including the right to be heard, are guaranteed throughout the proceedings.
There is no fixed deadline for the completion of such inquiries, which may vary depending on the complexity of the case, the level of cooperation from the companies concerned, and the exercise of procedural rights.
The Commission has increasingly focused on exclusionary practices in the pharmaceutical sector. Earlier this year, it concluded two investigations into anticompetitive disparagement: Case AT.40588 Teva Copaxone and Case AT.40577 Vifor. The current inquiry signals continued vigilance in ensuring that dominant players in the health and life sciences markets do not distort competition to the detriment of innovation, patient choice, and healthcare systems across the EU.
On Tuesday, Sanofi disclosed that the European Commission had inspected its sites in France and Germany the day before, as part of an inquiry into the company’s activities in the seasonal influenza vaccine sector.
The drugmaker emphasized its belief that it acts in line with all regulatory requirements and said it will fully support the Commission’s investigation.
Sanofi is a French multinational pharmaceutical company based in Paris and ranks among the largest drugmakers in the world. Its business spans prescription medicines for conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, multiple sclerosis, cancer, and rare disorders. It is also a leading producer of vaccines through its Sanofi Pasteur division, which includes seasonal flu vaccines, and it has a consumer healthcare arm that makes over-the-counter products. The company was created in 2004 from the merger of Sanofi-Synthélabo and Aventis and today operates on a global scale, competing with other major pharmaceutical groups such as Pfizer, Novartis, and GSK.
