The Hellenic Competition Commission’s 2022 Annual Report presents its work and actions throughout an extremely demanding year that was marked by the intensity of inflationary pressures.
In all aspects of its activity, namely the continuing efforts to clear pending cases and increase the HCC’s effectiveness, which had already started in 2019, the completion of investigations and sectoral studies and the initiation of new ones, the digital upgrading and organizational restructuring of the HCC, the launch of public consultations and the organisation of teleconferences as well as the adoption of a number of major decisions, the work of the Commission for the year 2022 is characterised by pluralism and innovation despite the extremely difficult conditions and challenges especially due to the great shortfall in human resources. In 2022, the HCC’s toolbox was strengthened and innovative initiatives were developed such as the new provision on market mapping introduced in article 14 of Law 3959/2011, enabling the HCC to assess the competitive conditions of competition in any market or sector of the economy, where required for the effective exercise of its powers, the creation of the Sustainability Sandbox, launched in in October 2022 following public consultation, and the introduction of the new Article 1A in Law 3959/2011 which constitutes another major reform and innovation of Greek competition law and focuses on an undertaking’s practices which seek to: (a) propose, coerce, motivate or in any way invite another undertaking to participate in or contribute to an agreement between competitors aimed at preventing, restricting or distorting competition, and (b) disclose (possibly through public announcements) the undertaking’s future pricing intentions (price signalling) for its products.
The results of the HCC’s 2022 work demonstrate the enormous efforts made by the HCC’s administration and staff.
The “focal point” of the HCC’s 2022 Annual Report is Inflation and Competition Law. The President of the Hellenic Competition Commission, Mr. Ioannis Lianos, the President of the French Competition Authority, Mr. Benoît Cœuré, and the Commissioner of the Competition Commission of South Africa, Ms. Doris Tshepe, have contributed to the relevant Section of the Report.
Highlights of the HCC’s 2022 achievements at a glance
The HCC’s 2022 Annual Report is available in Greek (English version will follow soon), in PDF format here.