BRUSSELS (Reuters) – The European Commission on Tuesday said it was carrying out unannounced antitrust inspections in the construction chemicals sector in several member states, as it suspected companies of anti-competitive behaviour.
The unnamed companies concerned produce chemical ingredients that are added to cement, concrete and mortar to modify and improve their properties and provide them with specific qualities, the commission said.
The raids were performed in coordination with the British and Turkish competition authorities.
Unannounced inspections are a preliminary investigatory step and do not mean that the companies are guilty of anti-competitive behaviour, the commission said.
(Reporting by Bart Meijer, editing by Marine Strauss)
