The European Commission Wednesday fined German energy giant E.ON AG (EON) EUR38 million for tampering with an antitrust investigation into the company's business practices.
The European Commission Wednesday fined German energy giant E.ON AG (EON) EUR38 million for tampering with an antitrust investigation into the company's business practices.
During the commission's probe into alleged anticompetitive practices on the German energy markets in May 2006, E.U. civil servants had sealed a door in E.ON's premises to a room containing highly sensitive files obtained in the raid. When inspectors returned the next day, the seal was broken, the commission said.
The documents were not yet listed, which makes it impossible to check whether documents were taken by E.ON. However the commission can't rule out that case sensitive documents were removed during the night.
The commission was looking to find evidence on tactics that might allow companies to engage in illegal market sharing, such as long-term supply contracts locking out competitors, and restricted access to gas pipelines.
"Companies know very well that high fines are at stake in competition cases, and some may consider illegal measures to obstruct an inquiry and so avoid a fine. This decision sends a clear message to all companies that it does not pay off to obstruct the Commission's investigations," The E.U.'s Competition Commissioner Neelie Kroes said.
The commission chose not to impose a higher fine of 1% of E.ON's total revenue as this was the first time the regulator has fined a company purely for tampering with evidence.
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