Portuguese Competition Authority

AdC issues Statement of Objections to seven companies for taking part in a cartel in public tenders* The AdC issued a Statement of Objections to the companies 2045/Gália, Comansegur, Grupo 8, Prestibel, Prosegur, Securitas and Strong Charon for bid-rigging in public tenders for the provision of (...)

AdC sanctions medical devices company for restricting distributors sales* The AdC’s decision The AdC sanctioned Natus Medical Incorporated (Natus) for restricting competition in the distribution of essential medical devices in the Portuguese market. The investigation, opened by the AdC in (...)

AdC issues Statements of Objections for anticompetitive agreement in the labour market for the first time* The AdC (Portuguese Competition Authority) has issued for the first time Statements of Objections for an agreement not to hire workers, in this case involving the Portuguese Professional (...)

AdC’s sector inquiry on FinTech: 74% of companies operating in Portugal consider that there are barriers to market entry* The AdC – Portuguese Competition Authority recently carried out an analysis of the FinTech market in Portugal to follow up on the recommendations made in 2018. The results (...)

AdC clears acquisition of Ferro Corporation by Pigments Spain, subject to divestment commitments* The AdC – Portuguese Competition Authority has decided to clear the proposed acquisition of Ferro Corporation (Ferro), subject to commitments by the acquiring undertaking, Pigments Spain, SL. The (...)

The AdC imposed fines on six large retail food chains and two suppliers for price fixing, harmful to consumers* The decisions The AdC – Autoridade da Concorrência imposed a total fine of circa €304 million on six large food retail chains, two beverage suppliers, a board member and a director (...)

AdC issues Statement of Objections to supermarkets and Beiersdorf for price fixing, harmful to consumers* The AdC – Autoridade da Concorrência issued a Statement of Objections to the supermarket chains Modelo Continente, Pingo Doce and Auchan and the supplier of cosmetics and personal care (...)

AdC imposes fine of 84 million euros to MEO for cartel with NOWO* The AdC - Portuguese Competition Authority imposed a fine of 84 million euros on the telecommunication operator MEO for market sharing and price fixing of mobile and fixed telecommunications services with NOWO – Communications. (...)

The AdC identifies barriers to the opening of new facilities and proposes recommendations aimed at promoting the well-being of chronic disease patients* The Portuguese Competition Authority – Autoridade da Concorrência (AdC) has undertaken an analysis on the hemodialysis care provision sector in (...)

AdC issues Statement of Objections to supermarkets and beverage supplier for price fixing, harmful to consumers* The AdC – Portuguese Competition Authority issued a Statement of Objections to Modelo Continente, Pingo Doce, Auchan and the supplier of alcoholic beverages Active Brands for price (...)

AdC issues Statement of Objections to National Association of Land Surveyors for price fixing* The AdC – Portuguese Competition Authority issued a Statement of Objections (SO) to the National Association of Land Surveyors (ANT – in Portuguese), for price fixing of the services of land surveying. (...)

AdC imposes fine of €3.6 M to APAP for restraining competition in advertising services* The AdC (Autoridade da Concorrência) imposed a fine of 3,6 million euros on the Portuguese advertising agencies association - APAP (Associação Portuguesa de Agências de Publicidade, Comunicação e Marketing)- for (...)

AdC opens in-depth investigation into the Pigments Spain/Ferro Assets merger* The Portuguese Competition Authority (AdC) has decided to open an in-depth investigation into the acquisition of sole control by Pigments Spain, of a set of assets in the business of coatings for the ceramic industry (...)

AdC prohibits the acquisition of Grupo Fundão by the Transdev Group due to risk of eliminating competition in passenger transportation in central Portugal* The AdC (Portuguese Competition Authority) issued a prohibition decision relative to the acquisition of Grupo Fundão as well as of the (...)

AdC issues statement of objection against Fidelidade - Sociedade Gestora de Organismos de Investimento Imobiliário, S.A. (Fidelidade SGOII) for failure to notify a merger* The AdC (Autoridade da Concorrência – Portuguese Competition Authority) sent a statement of objections to Fidelidade SGOII (...)

AdC issues Statement of Objections to six waste management companies for non-competition agreement* The AdC issued a Statement of Objections to six companies and six board members of the waste management groups Blueotter and EGEO with respect to a non-competition agreement, forbidden by (...)

AdC issues Statement of Objections to MEO, NOS, NOWO and Vodafone for cartel to limit competition in online advertising* The AdC issued a Statement of Objections to the telecommunications operators MEO - Serviços de Comunicações e Multimédia (MEO), NOS Comunicações, SA, NOWO - Communications, SA (...)

New case in the retail sector: AdC issues Statements of Objections to six supermarket chains and two drink suppliers for price fixing, harmful to consumers* The AdC – Portuguese Competition Authority issued Statements of Objections to 6 large food retail chain groups and 2 suppliers, one of (...)

AdC issues Statement of Objections to supermarket chains and bread supplier for price fixing, harmful to consumers* The AdC – Portuguese Competition Authority issued a Statement of Objections (SO) to three large food retail groups and a supplier of pre-packaged bread and substitutes and cakes, (...)

Covid - 19: AdC imposes precautionary measure on the Portuguese Football League that suspends no-poach agreement* The AdC ordered the Portuguese Professional Football League (LPFP in Portuguese) to immediately suspend the no-poach agreement, an agreement to not recruit or hire another clubs’ (...)

Covid-19: AdC warns associations of the need to comply with competition rules* The Competition Authority (AdC) issued guidance aimed at three business associations in the pharmaceutical and financial sectors, in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic, reaffirming the need to apply competition (...)

Telecoms: the AdC publishes the final version of its report on minimum contract duration clauses and insists on enhancing freedom of choice for consumers* The Portuguese Competition Authority (Autoridade da Concorrência – AdC) has published the final version of its report on “Loyalty policies in (...)

AdC fines Hospital Particular do Algarve for gun-jumping* The AdC fined Hospital Particular do Algarve, SA (HPA) in the total amount of 155,000 euros for acquiring sole control of Hospital de S. Gonçalo de Lagos S.A. (HSGL) without prior notification of the acquisition and, consequently, (...)

AdC assures vigilance of anticompetitive practices that exploit current situation* In times of great collective effort, the AdC wishes to assure that it remains particularly vigilant in its mission. This includes the detection of possible anticompetitive practices that exploit the current (...)

AdC adopts sanctioning decision which concludes proceedings against railway maintenance companies with a total fine of €3.4 M and disqualification of participation in public tenders* The AdC (Portuguese Competition Authority) today adopted a sanctioning decision that concludes the process (...)

AdC imposes fine of 48 million euros on EDP Produção for abuse of dominance* The AdC (Autoridade da Concorrência – Portuguese Competition Authority) imposed a fine of 48 million euros on EDP – Gestão da Produção de Energia, S.A., (EDP Produção), for abuse of dominance in the market for secondary reserve (...)

AdC accuses HCapital, SCA - SICAR of gun-jumping* The AdC (Autoridade da Concorrência – Portuguese Competition Authority) sent a statement of objections to HCapital, SCA – SICAR for acquiring sole control of Solzaima without prior notification of the transaction and, consequently, without (...)

The AdC adopts a clearance decision on the Grupo HPA Saúde / Hospital São Gonçalo de Lagos merger* The AdC (Autoridade da Concorrência – Portuguese Competition Authority) has adopted a clearance decision on the merger concerning the acquisition of sole control of Hospital São Gonçalo de Lagos (...)

AdC imposes a fine of 225 million euros to 14 banks The Portuguese Competition Authority (Autoridade da Concorrência - AdC) fined 14 banks in the total amount of 225 million euros in connection with the concerted practice of exchanging sensitive commercial data, during a period of more than ten (...)

The first cartel sanctioned by the AdC in the Portuguese financial sector has the highest fines ever applied* The AdC applied a fine totalling more than €54 million on insurance companies, board members and directors involved in the “insurer cartel”. The proceedings is now concluded with the (...)

AdC sanctioned Super Bock for fixing minimum resale prices in hotels, restaurants and cafes* The AdC (Autoridade da Concorrência) sanctioned Super Bock Bebidas S.A., one board member and one director of the company to fines of €24 million for fixing minimum resale prices and other commercial (...)

AdC accuses Portuguese advertisers and advertising agencies of limiting the normal functioning of the market* The AdC (Autoridade da Concorrência) accuses the Portuguese advertisers association APAN (Associação Portuguesa de Anunciantes) and the advertising agencies association APAP (Associação (...)

AdC started a phase II investigation on Fidelidade / Saudeinveste and Imofid merger* The AdC (Autoridade da Concorrência) decided to open a phase II investigation on the merger involving the acquisition by Fidelidade of two real estate investment funds, previously managed by a managing entity (...)

Autoridade da Concorrência carried out dawn raids in the waste management sector* The Autoridade da Concorrência (AdC) – Portuguese Competition Authority carried out dawn raids in two premises of seven undertakings in the waste management sector in the district of Lisbon on suspicions of (...)

The AdC warns that using algorithms to coordinate market prices is incompatible with the Portuguese Competition Law* The Portuguese Competition Authority (Autoridade da Concorrência, AdC) warns that firms are responsible for the algorithms they use and that employing these tools with the aim of (...)

AdC confirms dawn raids in the healthcare sector* The Autoridade da Concorrência (AdC) - Portuguese Competition Authority confirms it has carried out dawn raids in eight locations of nine entities in the healthcare sector in Lisbon, Porto and Algarve, following suspicions of anticompetitive (...)

AdC sanctions an undertaking and its manager for anticompetitive practices in the sector of railway maintenance services* The AdC imposed fines totalling 906.485,58 euros on Mota-Engil – Engenharia e Construção, S.A., and one of its managers, for participating in a horizontal agreement (cartel), (...)

AdC issues Statements of Objections to supermarket chains and beverage suppliers for price fixing, harmful to consumers* The AdC – Portuguese Competition Authority issued three Statements of Objections to six large food retail groups in Portugal and three beverage suppliers for taking part in (...)

AdC imposes fines of €12 million on insurance companies for cartel settlement* The Portuguese Competition Authority (Autoridade da Concorrência – AdC) imposed fines in the total amount of €12 million on the insurers Fidelidade – Companhia de Seguros and Multicare – Seguros de Saúde for market (...)

Ports: AdC presents three recommendations to the Government and administrations to improve competition in the sector * The Portuguese Competition Authority (Autoridade da Concorrência, AdC) recommends to the Government and port authorities the adoption of measures to promote competition in the (...)

AdC sanctions an undertaking and its manager for anticompetitive practices in the sector of railway maintenance services.* The AdC imposed fines totalling 365,400 euros on Sacyr Neopul S.A., and its production manager, for participating in a horizontal agreement (cartel) that resulted in price (...)

AdC confirms dawn raids in four telecommunications operators* The Portuguese Competition Authority (AdC - Autoridade da Concorrência) confirms that it carried out dawn raids have been carried out in five locations of four telecommunication companies, following suspicions of antitrust practices (...)

The AdC has published the final version of the Issues Paper “Technological Innovation and Competition in the Financial Sector in Portugal”, in which warns of the risks in PSD2’s implementation* The AdC has approved the final version of the Issues Paper “Technological Innovation and Competition in (...)

AdC clears the acquisition of Repsol’s LPG business in Madeira and Azores by Rubis, subject to conditions* The Portuguese Competition Authority (AdC) has accepted the divesture commitments brought forth by Rubis II Distribuição Portugal, and hence has approved Rubis’ acquisition of the existing (...)

AdC issues Statement of Objections to 5 companies and 6 directors and managers for cartel in railway maintenance companies* The Portuguese Competition Authority (Autoridade da Concorrência - AdC) issued a Statement of Objections to railway maintenance companies of Mota-Engil, Comsa, Somague, (...)

AdC issues Statement of Objections to EDP Produção for abuse of dominance to the detriment of consumers* The Portuguese Competition Authority (Autoridade da Concorrência – AdC) issued a Statement of Objections against EDP – Gestão da Produção de Energia, S.A. (EDP Produção) for abuse of dominance in (...)

AdC issues Statement of Objections to 5 insurance companies and 14 directors and managers for participating in a cartel * The Portuguese Competition Authority (Autoridade da Concorrência - AdC) issued a Statement of Objections to the insurance companies Fidelidade – Companhia de Seguros, (...)

AdC issues Statement of Objections to Super Bock for fixing minimum resale prices of beverages in hotels, restaurants and cafes* The Portuguese Competition Authority (Autoridade da Concorrência – AdC) issued a Statement of Objections to Super Bock Bebidas S.A. for suspicion of behavior (...)

AdC’s intervention expands the scope of CTT postal network access offer to competing operators and broadens consumer choice* The Portuguese Competition Authority (AdC) adopted a decision which renders legally binding a set of commitments that expand the scope of CTT’s Postal Network Access Offer (...)

The AdC identifies barriers to entry of new FinTech firms and recommends measures to promote choice for consumers and companies in financial services in Portugal* The Portuguese Competition Authority - Autoridade da Concorrência (AdC), identified barriers to entry of new firms based on (...)

Portuguese Competition Authority dismantles cartel of paper envelopes* The Portuguese Competition Authority (AdC) dismantled a five-member cartel of paper envelopes producers and distributors, and imposed a fine of €160.000,00 on the company Firmo Papéis e Papelarias, S.A. The investigation (...)

The Portuguese Competition Authority sends Statement of Objections to CTT – Correios de Portugal S.A.* The Portuguese Competition Authority (Autoridade da Concorrência – AdC) confirms having sent a Statement of Objections to CTT – Correios de Portugal S.A. (CTT) outlining its preliminary view that (...)

The PCA adopts a decision which renders legally binding the commitments offered by Dia Portugal related to Minipreço franchise* The Portuguese Competition Authority (PCA) adopted a decision which renders legally binding the commitments offered by Dia Portugal Supermercados, Sociedade (...)

DIA Portugal offers commitments to the PCA* On 3 April 2014, the Portuguese Competition Authority (PCA) opened proceedings against DIA Portugal Supermercados, Sociedade Unipessoal, Lda. (DIA Portugal), for alleged infringement of national competition rules in the context of the Franchise (...)

The PCA adopts a decision which renders legally binding the commitments offered by Fiat regarding motor vehicle warranties* The Portuguese Competition Authority (PCA) adopted a decision which renders legally binding the commitments offered by FCA Portugal, S.A., in relation to Fiat brands (...)

The Portuguese Competition Authority confirms unannounced inspections in the specialised credit sector* The Portuguese Competition Authority (the PCA) confirms that it carried out unannounced inspections on 28 and 29 January 2016, at 13 premises of various specialised credit institutions (...)

Intervention of the Portuguese Competition Authority led to positive changes in the motor vehicles warranties* The Portuguese Competition Authority (PCA) decided to close the infringement procedure against SEAT Portugal, Unipessoal, Lda. (SEAT Portugal) because the company, diligently, (...)

The Portuguese Competition Authority fined ANF Group for abusing its dominant position* The Portuguese Competition Authority (PCA) has imposed fines of € 10.340.000 on ANF (Associação Nacional das Farmácias) and three companies of the ANF Group (Farminveste – S.G.P.S., S.A., Farminveste – (...)

Fiat offers commitments regarding motor vehicles warranties* The Portuguese Competition Authority (PCA) opened proceedings against Fiat Group Automobiles Portugal, S.A., now FCA Portugal, S.A. (Fiat), in relation to the Fiat brand, for alleged infringements of competition rules. The (...)

SIVA offers commitments to the Portuguese Competition Authority regarding motor vehicles warranties* The Portuguese Competition Authority has opened proceedings against SIVA – Sociedade de Importação de Veículos Automóveis, S.A., the Portuguese importer of Audi, Volkswagen and Skoda brands, for (...)

ADC CLEARS THE ACQUISITION OF TAP * The Portuguese Competition Authority (PCA) adopted a clearance decision on the merger concerning the acquisition of joint control of the air transport undertaking TAP – Transportes Aéreos Portugueses, SGPS, S.A. by HPGB, SGPS, S.A. and DGN Corporation, through (...)

AdC fines Ford for providing false, inaccurate or incomplete information* The Portuguese Competition Authority (Autoridade da Concorrência - AdC) has imposed a fine of €150,000 on Ford, for providing false, inaccurate or incomplete information further to a request of the AdC in the context of (...)

The PCA converts into mandatory conditions the commitments presented by Ford Lusitana regarding motor vehicle warranties* The Portuguese Competition Authority (PCA) converts into mandatory conditions all the commitments presented by Ford Lusitana, S.A. (Ford), in order to address the (...)

The PCA sanctions five undertakings for anticompetitive practices in public tenders for the supply of pre-fabricated modules to Parque Escolar * Undertakings collaborate and renounce the right to judicial review The Portuguese Competition Authority (PCA) sanctioned the undertakings Algeco – (...)

AdC fines CP Carga for providing false, inaccurate or incomplete information* The Portuguese Competition Authority (Autoridade da Concorrência - AdC) has imposed a fine of € 100.000,00 on CP CARGA, for providing false, inaccurate or incomplete information further to a request of the AdC, in the (...)

Ford offers commitments to the Portuguese Competition Authority regarding motor vehicles warranties* The Portuguese Competition Authority has opened proceedings against Ford Lusitana, S.A. (Ford) for alleged infringements of the competition rules, on January 2015. The Portuguese Competition (...)

The PCA converts into mandatory conditions the commitments presented by Peugeot Portugal regarding motor vehicle warranties* The Portuguese Competition Authority (PCA) converts into mandatory conditions all the commitments presented by Peugeot Portugal Automóveis, S.A. (Peugeot), in order to (...)

The PCA declared the extinction of the proceedings of the JCDecaux/Cemusa merger* On March 19, 2015, the Portuguese Competition Authority (PCA) declared the extinction of the merger proceedings concerning the acquisition of sole control of Cemusa by JCDecaux, in the field of outdoor (...)

Portuguese Competition Authority’s decision against Sport TV confirmed by the Lisbon Court of Appeal* The Lisbon Court of Appeal confirmed the Portuguese Competition Authority’s (PCA) decision against Sport TV for abusing its dominant position in the market of conditional-access premium sports (...)