The Lithuanian Competition Authority condemns unfair pricing on telecommunications infrastructures (Vilniaus Energija)

On 13 September 2007 the Lithuanian Competition Council adopted an infringement decision finding UAB Vilniaus Energija (VE) in breach of Article 9 of the Law on Competition (equivalent to Article 82 of the EC Treaty) for imposing unfair prices in a number of local markets for the lease of communication tunnels in Vilnius. VE was ordered to terminate the infringement and pay a fine of LTL 178,000 (approx. EUR 51,552). VE is an operator of the communications tunnels - underground constructions designed to accommodate engineering communications, such as heat and water supply networks, electricity and communications cables, - in the city of Vilnius. In 2002, VE was granted a right to lease the tunnels by their owner, the Vilnius city municipality, which remained responsible for setting the