Communication
The aim of the protection of market competition is primarily to create benefits for consumers and equal conditions for all entrepreneurs on the market, who, acting in accordance with the existing rules and competing on the market with the quality, price and innovation of their products and services, contribute to the overall development of the economy.
Unannounced on-the-spot inspections of undertakings’ premises in the construction sector
The Croatian Competition Agency (CCA) has initiated proceedings against the undertakings Eptisa Adria d.o.o., Zagreb; Expertplan d.o.o., Zagreb; Projektna cjelina d.o.o. za graditeljstvo, Zagreb; JC development & strategy d.o.o., Zagreb; Consol d.o.o., Velika Buna; Građevinski laboratorij d.o.o., Osijek; and ADVANCED CONSULTING ENGINEERING SERVICES d.o.o., Osijek, for the purpose of establishing whether the undertakings concerned have been engaged in prevention, restriction or distortion of competition through the conclusion of a prohibited agreement within the meaning of Article 8 of the Competition Act.
The proceedings were opened following a notification submitted by the State Commission for the Supervision of Public Procurement Procedures (DKOM) concerning the irregularities identified in a public procurement procedure for the procurement of operational coordination services for the structural reconstruction of earthquake-damaged multi-apartment residential and mixed-use buildings in the City of Zagreb divided into five lots. The contracting authority was the Ministry of Physical Planning, Construction and State Assets.
Following the preliminary investigation in the relevant market, the CCA established that there were sufficient indications of a possible infringement to justify the initiation of the proceedings. On 23 December 2025 the CCA therefore decided to open the proceedings for the establishment of a possible prohibited agreement in the relevant market for architectural, construction, technical and inspection services, as well as project management services in the construction sector, within the territory of the City of Zagreb. The purpose of the proceedings is to determine whether the undertakings concerned engaged in a conduct resulting in restriction or distortion of competition, through market and/or source-of-supply allocation, within the meaning of Article 8 of the Competition Act.
In order to establish additional facts and circumstances and to obtain evidence supporting the indications that led to the initiation of the proceedings in the first place, the CCA, acting pursuant to its powers under the Competition Act and on the basis of the order issued by the High Administrative Court of the Republic of Croatia, carried out unannounced inspections at the business premises of the undertakings concerned on 21 January 2026.
The CCA will decide whether the undertakings in question have infringed competition rules by concluding a prohibited agreement, based on the final findings and the merits of the case.
In this regard, the CCA emphasizes that the initiation of a proceeding and the conduct of a dawn raid cannot prejudice the CCA’s final decision in the matter.