July 17, 2025 – Bratislava, Slovakia — The Antimonopoly Office of the Slovak Republic (PMÚ) has launched administrative proceedings against several businesses in the air conditioning, refrigeration, and heat pump sector over suspected cartel activity.
According to a statement released Wednesday, the investigation concerns possible illegal coordination of minimum recommended prices among companies operating in the HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) market. The proceedings follow unannounced inspections carried out by the authority, during which officials reportedly obtained evidence suggesting that competitors may have jointly set pricing guidelines.
The PMÚ emphasized that the opening of proceedings does not imply that any laws have been broken or that the companies involved will ultimately be found guilty of anti-competitive conduct.
“This step is based on preliminary findings,” the authority said, noting that the case is still under review and that no conclusions should be drawn at this stage.
If proven, the alleged price coordination would constitute a serious violation of Slovak and EU competition rules, potentially leading to fines or corrective measures.
The HVAC sector plays a vital role in residential and commercial energy efficiency, and any price-fixing activity could have direct impacts on consumers and businesses alike.
No further details about the companies involved have been released at this time.
