The Spanish National Commission for Markets and Competition (CNMC) has announced (3 December) it carried out a second round of inspections between November 25 and 28, targeting companies in the engineering consulting and technical assistance services sector suspected of anti-competitive practices.
The investigation focuses on alleged collusion to divide public contracts, which could constitute serious violations of competition law. The first round of inspections took place earlier this year, from January 31 to February 2.
Inspections are a preliminary step and do not determine guilt. If evidence of illegal practices is found, formal disciplinary proceedings will follow. Penalties for such violations include fines of up to 10% of a company’s turnover and potential bans on public contracting.
The CNMC encourages companies involved in cartels to utilize its Leniency Programme for reduced penalties and exemption from contracting bans. Citizens can report anti-competitive practices anonymously via the CNMC’s Anonymous Competition Informants System (SICA).
This investigation underscores CNMC’s commitment to tackling cartels and preserving fair competition in public procurement markets.
Source: https://www.cnmc.es/prensa/inspecciones-servicios-ingenieria-20241203
