On the 16th September 2021, officials of the Hellenic Competition Commission (HCC) carried out unannounced inspections (dawn raids), acting ex officio, at the premises of undertakings active in import/manufacturing, wholesale and retail trade of school bags, kids’ lunch bags and pencil casesregarding potential anti-competitive practices in the context of vertical agreements.

The unannounced inspections, which were carried out at the premises of undertakings in the Prefecture of Attica, are part of the preliminary stage of an investigation into anti-competitive practices, pursuant to the provisions of Greek Competition Law 3959/2011. 

The fact that the HCC carried out the inspections does not indicate that the inspected undertakings have engaged in anti-competitive behaviour, nor does it prejudge the outcome of the investigation itself. 

The HCC acts whenever its involvement is necessary, as the authority responsible for identifying potential violations of the provisions of Articles 1 and 2 of Greek Law 3959/2011 and Articles 101 and 102 TFEU. Facing the potential emergence of distortive phenomena, the HCC, acting as the guardian of the proper functioning of free and competitive markets, takes on the pledge to prioritize, within the remit of its jurisdiction, every relevant case for which it is informed either through a complaint, an application for leniency, or other sources of providing secured digital information (whistleblowing) and it will impose severe administrative sanctions on undertakings which have adopted anti-competitive practices.