EU confirms pharma raids on cartel concerns

The European Commission has confirmed that, on November 24, its officials started inspections in several European Union member states at the premises of a number of pharmaceutical companies. The Commission says it has reason to believe that the provisions of the EC Treaty prohibiting restrictive business practices and/or the abuse of a dominant market position (Articles 81 and 82) may have been infringed.

The inspections are not related to the pharmaceutical sector raids in January, when the premises of several US and European drug majors were swooped upon, nor part of the pharmaceutical sector competition inquiry (Marketletter January 21), the preliminary results of which were due to be published after this issue went to press. However, the Commission contends that the knowledge acquired during the sector inquiry has allowed it to draw conclusions on where its action based on competition law could be appropriate and effective.