The Antimonopoly Office of the Slovak Republic has reinforced its stance on procedural compliance, with its Council issuing final decisions against two companies for failing to cooperate in an ongoing cartel investigation.
On 13 April 2026, the Council partially amended earlier rulings against AGB ekoservis s.r.o. and Websupport s.r.o., both of which had refused to provide requested information during a probe into a suspected cartel in the management of hazardous waste from healthcare facilities.
Refusal to Provide Key Evidence
The investigation centers on potential collusion in a sensitive sector involving the disposal of hazardous medical waste. During an on-site inspection at AGB ekoservis, the authority found only limited communication records, primarily from the period immediately preceding the inspection. Further inquiries revealed that a substantial portion of deleted communications was still stored by Websupport, which provides hosting and domain services.
Despite formal requests, neither company supplied the requested data. The authority concluded that this constituted a breach of their legal obligation to cooperate under Slovakia’s competition law framework, which requires not only investigated parties but also third parties holding relevant information to assist in antitrust proceedings.
Council Confirms Violations, Adjusts Reasoning
The Council upheld the finding that both companies violated the law by failing to comply with information requests, emphasizing that such non-cooperation can significantly hinder the authority’s investigative powers.
In the case of Websupport, the Council corrected inconsistencies between the reasoning and the operative part of the original decision. While it disagreed with some mitigating factors considered at first instance, it ultimately maintained the fine at €60,100.
For AGB ekoservis, however, the Council took a different approach. It found shortcomings in the reasoning underpinning the initial fine and reduced the penalty to €52,800.
Decisions Now Final, Judicial Review Possible
The decision against AGB ekoservis entered into force on 22 April 2026, while the ruling against Websupport became final one day earlier, on 21 April 2026. Both companies retain the right to seek judicial review.
