The Lithuanian Competition Council has determined that Emsi, a petrol station network operator, violated competition laws by taking control of four petrol stations without the necessary authorization. As a result, the company has been fined a total of EUR 1,022,170.

The investigation revealed that Emsi executed a merger in March 2024 by leasing two petrol stations in Kaunas from Antira, which had acquired them just days earlier from Tubus. Additionally, in April 2024, Emsi acquired another petrol station in Vilnius from Takuras, followed by another in Maišiagala a month later.

These transactions were required to be notified to the Competition Council prior to execution, as they exceeded the revenue thresholds set by the Law on Competition. Despite being informed of this obligation, Emsi proceeded without notification.

Jolanta Ivanauskienė, Chairwoman of the Competition Council, emphasized the importance of merger control in maintaining effective competition. She urged businesses to consult with the Council if they are uncertain about the need for approval for their transactions.

The fines imposed on Emsi were EUR 545,160 and EUR 477,010 for the two violations. The company has been ordered to rectify the situation within three months, either by submitting the necessary merger notifications or restoring the previous state of affairs.

The Law on Competition allows for fines of up to 10% of total annual global revenue for unapproved mergers, but the penalties imposed on Emsi were less than 0.3% of its total annual global revenue for 2024. Emsi has the right to appeal the decision within one month.