(Finance) – The Competition and Market Guarantor Authority has decided to start an investigation proceeding against Conou – National Consortium for the management, collection and treatment of Used Mineral Oils – to ascertain an alleged abuse of a dominant position in violation of the art. 102 of the TFEU.
In particular – we read in the note – Conou, legal monopolist in the recycling of hazardous waste represented by used lubricating oils and, therefore, dominant in the relevant market, “would appear to have unjustifiably hindered the operation of two waste oil regeneration plants with “proximity” characteristics and with potential benefits environmental, to the benefit of the only two regenerators historically active in the Italian market and recognized by the Consortium”.
According to the Authority, Conou allegedly obstructed the operations of a business dthe regeneration localized in Lombardy, preventing it from having access to the oils collected by the consortium companies. Furthermore, it would not have recognized the regeneration fee for the activity carried out by this company and would not have paid the collection contribution on the volumes of used oils processed by its plant. In relation to a different regeneration plant planned to be built in Piedmont, however, the Conou would have judicially contested the release of the integrated environmental authorization by the competent authorities.
Today – the note concludes – the Authority’s officials carried out inspections at the offices of some of the companies involved, as well as other entities deemed to be in possession of useful elements for the investigation, with the help of the Special Antitrust Unit of the Guardia di Finanza.