On April 4^th 2025, the Hellenic Competition Commission (HCC) conducted an unannounced inspection (dawn raid) at the premises of an undertaking active in the sector for private tutoring services within the framework of its ex officio investigation into possible infringements of Article 1 of Law 3959/2011 and Article 102 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), in the context of possible vertical agreements.

Private tutoring services represent a substantial part of Greek households’ expenditure. According to a relevant survey, spending on general education tutoring accounts for 16.2% of household spending on education goods and services and 0.7% of their total consumption expenditure in 2023. These expenditures are estimated to have significantly increased (by approximately 35%) over the period 2021-2023.

It is noted that unannounced inspections take place at undertakings where evidence may be collected concerning anticompetitive practices in the markets concerned and they do not mean that the inspected undertakings have engaged in anti-competitive behavior, nor do they prejudge the outcome of the investigation itself.

Legal Framework

The HCC enforces Greek and EU antitrust rules according to national law 3959/2011 and Articles 101 and 102 TFEU:

• Article 1 of Law no. 3959/2011 and Article 101 of the TFEU prohibit anticompetitive agreements and decisions of associations of undertakings that prevent, restrict or distort competition.
• Article 1A of Law no. 3959/2011 prohibits unilateral practices that constitute an invitation to collude or future price announcements to competitors.
• Article 2 of Law no. 3959/2011 and Article 102 of the TFEU prohibit the abuse of a dominant position.

The HCC intervenes within its competence as an immediate priority where necessary and examines any relevant case that comes to its notice, upon submission of a complaint, application for leniency or anonymous information through the secure digital environment (whistleblowing) and will impose severe administrative sanctions on companies that apply anti-competitive practices, pursuant to the provisions of law 3959/2011 and articles 101/102 TFEU.