On 21 February 2014 the Hungarian Competition Authority (Gazdasági Versenyhivatal – GVH) initiated a supervision proceeding against HTD Szaknévsor Kiadó Kft., JRM Produkció Kft., Nosztalgia-Design Kft., “PUPU Produkció” Filmgyártó Kft., TVP Televíziós és videó műsorokat gyártó Kft. and LIGA TV Kft. for a suspected infringement of the prohibition of restrictive agreements. As the first step of the investigation, the GVH conducted on spot inspections without prior notification at the premises of some of the involved undertakings.
Based on the data available, it can be assumed that the practice conducted by the above mentioned companies is likely to have an impact on two public procurement procedures issued by the Media Support and Asset Management Fund (“Framework agreement for the lease of HD television mobile intermediary units for the Media Support and Asset Management Fund for 24 months, providing human resources in some cases” and “Framework agreement for the lease of SD television mobile intermediary units for the Media Support and Asset Management Fund for 24 months, providing human resources in some cases”).
The GVH has reasons to suspect that the undertakings under investigation have violated the provisions of the Competition Act with regard to the prohibition of restrictive agreements.
The GVH may conduct on the spot inspections without any preliminary notification based on the Hungarian Competition Act. Pursuant to the provisions of the Competition Act, the inspections require prior judicial authorisation.
The initiation of the competition supervision proceeding does not mean that the undertakings in question have actually committed an infringement. The proceeding aims to clarify the facts and prove that the assumed infringement has been committed. According to the Act such proceedings must be closed within 6 months, however this time limit can be extended two times by a further 6 months each time, depending on the complexity of the case.
Case number: Vj-11/2014.
Budapest, 26 February 2014.
Hungarian Competition Authority
Further Information:
Katalin GONDOLOVICS
Spokeswoman
Mail: 1054 Budapest, V. ker. Alkotmány u. 5.
Postal address: 1245 Budapest, 5. POB 1036
Tel: (+36-1) 472-8902
Email: press@gvh.hu
http://www.gvh.hu