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LNG terminal in Wilhelmshaven: »This is a completely new field of activity for us«
Photo: Wolfhart Scheer / dpa
The Bundeskartellamt is building up its own capacities to be able to punish violations of the specifications for the price brakes on gas and electricity that have just been decided.
The Bonn authority announced on Tuesday that a corresponding department had started to be set up.
"This is a completely new field of activity for us," said the head of the Cartel Office, Andreas Mundt.
It's not about protecting competition, it's about protecting taxpayers' money.
»Special times require special measures.«
The price brakes are intended to help keep energy affordable and curb the highest inflation in decades.
According to this, price increases from suppliers to end customers may only occur if the companies pass on actual cost increases.
Violations of the requirement are subject to fines.
The Cartel Office should enforce this.
In suspected cases, it will check whether prices have been increased unjustifiably, the authority said.
mike/Reuters
