The Slovenian Competition Protection Agency accepted Geoplin’s commitments
On 10 November 2017, the Slovenian Competition Protection Agency (CPA) issued a decision whereby the antitrust proceedings against Geoplin led by CPA were concluded by making commitments offered by Geoplin legally binding. In its decision the CPA specifically emphasises that the decision does not include any declaration that Geoplin’s past actions had been a violation of competition law.
Geoplin is confident that its past actions did not constitute a violation of competition law. The company’s operations on natural gas supply market were at all times compliant with competition rules and have in no way differed from other natural gas suppliers’ actions on comparable relevant markets.
Since Geoplin wishes to direct its focus towards activities for the development of its operations, it has proposed to the CPA the commitments with the aim to conclude the complex and lengthy proceedings. The CPA accepted the proposed commitments as proportionate, adequate and reasoned. Geoplin also emphasises that the proposed commitments are (also) a result of the development of natural gas supply market which is highly competitive and due to available transmission capacities and access to natural gas at hubs not regionally limited to the territory of Slovenia – the latter was also confirmed by the European Commission when it was assessing the concentration as a result of acquisition of majority share of Geoplin by Petrol.