HIBAPRESS.
The investigation and research services of the Competition Council conducted surprise visits and simultaneous seizures on Thursday to five actors in the national market for compound feed directed to the poultry sector and related markets, especially the chick market, based on suspicions of anti-competitive practices in the mentioned markets.
The Competition Council clarified in a statement that the visit and seizure operations were carried out with the permission of the King's Prosecutor, and with the support of officers from the National Brigade of Judicial Police appointed for this purpose, in accordance with the provisions of Article 72 of Law No. 104.12 relating to the freedom of prices and competition, as amended and supplemented. The same source pointed out that the execution of the mentioned operations "does not mean the occurrence and existence of the suspected anti-competitive practices or the proof of the responsibility of the concerned actors in committing them. Only the deliberative bodies of the Council have the authority to decide on the mentioned practices if proven, after conducting an in-depth investigation according to a confrontational procedure in full respect of the rights of defense." Due to considerations related to respecting the defense rights of the actors who were visited, the Competition Council confirmed that it will not, at the present time, make any comment on their identity or the practices subject to the visit and seizure operations. To recall, the Competition Council has, in accordance with the provisions of Article 16 of Law No. 20.13 relating to the Competition Council, as amended and supplemented, research and investigation services that conduct the necessary investigations and inquiries in application of the provisions of the law on the freedom of prices and competition related to anti-competitive practices and the monitoring of economic concentration operations. In this context, "the surprise visit and seizure operations, organized by Article 72 mentioned above, are a research and investigation tool that allows the collection of necessary evidence and information to investigate on the spot, regarding issues related to anti-competitive practices or the failure to notify the Competition Council of economic concentration operations".
