European Commission launches tire market investigation

Brussels – The European Commission (EC) is carrying out unannounced inspections at the premises of companies active in the tire industry across several member states, the EC has announced.

Inspected companies, said the Commission's 30 Jan statement, “may have violated EU anti-trust rules that prohibit cartels and restrictive business practices.”

The investigation is focused on the supply of new replacement tires for passenger cars, vans, trucks and buses sold in the European Economic Area.

The Commission said it was concerned that “price coordination took place amongst the inspected companies, including via public communications.”

Where inspections were carried out, EC officials were accompanied by their counterparts from relevant national competition authorities of the member states. 

According to the Commission, unannounced inspections are a preliminary investigatory step into suspected anti-competitive practices.

The fact that the EC carries out such inspections, however, “does not mean that the companies are guilty of anti-competitive behaviour, nor does it prejudge the outcome of the investigation itself.”

In general, there is no legal deadline to complete inquiries into anticompetitive conduct: duration depending on factors, including the complexity of the case and level of co-operation with the Commission.

ERJ will update this report as further information emerges.