The Greek Competition Authority (E.A.) has decided to prioritize the examination and assign a responsible rapporteur for investigating specific practices of a company operating in the radioactive drug production and supply market. This decision is based on the potential abuse of the company's dominant position in the market for radioactive drugs used in imaging tests for detecting tumors in patients.

The investigation focuses on whether the practices employed by the involved company towards its customers and relevant public authorities deviated from fair competition and had the potential to hinder the development of its sole competitor, especially during a period of increasing demand for radioactive drugs in the country.

This inquiry is part of a complaint regarding possible violations of Article 2 of Law 3959/2011 on the protection of free competition, as well as Article 102 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU).

To facilitate the investigation, the General Directorate of Competition conducted an unannounced on-site inspection at the company and sent questionnaires to other companies in the sector.

The E.A., as the guardian of the proper functioning of the free market, is responsible for enforcing competition rules based on Law 3959/2011 and Articles 101/102 TFEU. These articles prohibit agreements between companies that restrict competition and the abusive exploitation of a dominant position.

The assignment to a rapporteur indicates that the E.A.'s investigation is at an advanced stage, initiating deadlines for decision-making. However, it does not preempt the content of the rapporteur's recommendation or the E.A.'s final decision. The legal deadline is indicative, and the time taken to examine each case depends on its complexity, the volume of the administrative file, and the level of cooperation from the companies under investigation.