Romania's Competition Council has launched two investigations into possible abusive behaviour by Orange Romania and RCS&RDS when issuing technical approval for the execution of construction works. The council has indications that, without economic justification, the two companies imposed excessive charges, at least for some consumers, for issuing the necessary approval for construction work.
In this context, the council said it carried out unannounced inspections at the companies' premises. It is now analysing the submitted documents.
Raids were authorised by the Bucharest Court of Appeal and are justified by the need to obtain all the relevant information and documents to clarify the potential anti-competitive practice, the authority explained.
To obtain a construction permit, approvals called site notices are required from network administrators/providers. These permits, listed in a locality's planning certificate, are necessary to ensure that the proposed construction does not affect telecom networks in any way.
In the spring, the same authority launched an investigation into possible abuse of a dominant position by Telekom Romania Communications on the same market.
