The Hellenic Competition Commission (HCC) launches for the first time a nationwide communication campaign promoting the mechanism of whistleblowing (anonymous provision of information of public interest on competition issues) in Mass Media, inspired by relevant European directives[1].
The HCC’s anonymous information system is the most technologically advanced and completely secure method for every citizen (businessman, employee, consumer) to contribute to the detection of anti-competitive practices, while similar anonymous information systems are used by other Competition Authorities worldwide, such as the European Competition Commission, the Competition Commission of Germany, Great Britain, Denmark, South Korea, etc.
This initiative is part of a new strategy, put into force since 2020, to detect anti-competitive practices using innovative technological and other methods, but also, in general, to inform the public about competition issues.
Throughout 2021, the HCC has made a series of targeted moves to raise awareness of competition issues but also to strengthen the culture of competition to both businesses and consumers, while in the context of a systematic policy to prevent and combat anti-competitive practices HCC has intensified its actions, compared to previous years, by directly intervening in a multitude of key markets and against practices aimed at:
- the manipulation of tenders and bids,
- the setting of resale prices of products / services,
- the market sharing/ customer allocation,
- the restriction or control of production, markets,and/or technical development,
- the exclusion of competitors and products from the market, etc.,
- anti-competitive behaviors by dominant companies that impose unfair prices or unfair trading conditions, etc.
Following these initiatives and with the aim to further enhance healthy competition and prevent phenomena that negatively affect the well-being of consumers, the HCC proceeds to further intensify its activities during year 2022 with the aim to inform the public and to provide tangible and immediate opportunities to citizens,to effectively contribute to the protection of public interest, through the mechanism of anonymous provision of competition related information.
We wish you a Happy New Year!
...stop the cartels anonymously, drop the prices!
Watch the video here or on the Competition Commission’s Youtube channel here
[1] See EU Directive 2019/1937 of the European Parliament and of the Council, of October,23rd2019, regarding the protection of individuals reporting breaches of Union law, L 305/17 (26.11.2019), which is expected to be incorporated into the Greek legal order.