The Greek Competition Authority (E.A.) has decided to prioritize the examination and assign a responsible rapporteur to investigate specific practices of businesses operating in the remittance services market. This decision is made under Article 15 of Law 3959/2011 concerning the protection of free competition.

The investigation is based on a complaint regarding possible violations of Article 2 of Law 3959/2011 and Articles 101 and 102 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU). The General Directorate of Competition (GDA) is conducting this inquiry to determine if there are violations related to Article 1 of Law 3959/2011 and Article 101 TFEU due to cumulative effects of exclusion through parallel networks of agreements promoting a specific brand.

The E.A. is responsible for ensuring the proper functioning of the free market and enforcing competition rules based on Law 3959/2011 and Articles 101/102 TFEU. These articles prohibit agreements between businesses that restrict competition, as well as unilateral practices that invite prohibited collusion.

The assignment to a rapporteur indicates that the E.A.'s investigation is at an advanced stage, initiating deadlines for decision-making as per paragraphs 4 and 5 of Article 15 of Law 3959/2011. However, this does not preclude the content of the rapporteur's recommendation or the E.A.'s final decision. The legal deadline is indicative, and the examination duration depends on the complexity of the case, the volume of the administrative file, and the cooperation level of the businesses under investigation.