EU investigators on Tuesday carried out inspections at some of Europe's largest suppliers of wood pulp, a key ingredient in papermaking, amid suspicion of a price cartel.
Finnish paper makers Stora Enso and UPM, industry giants, have confirmed they are subject to inspections by the EU's antitrust services.
The two groups ensure that they cooperate fully with European regulators.
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"
The Commission is concerned that the companies inspected have violated EU rules on cartels and abuse of dominance which prohibit cartels and restrictive business practices
," she said in a statement Tuesday.
Wood pulp is a fibrous and dry material obtained from wood and intended for the manufacture of various paper products (paper for hygienic and household use, writing paper, cardboard, etc.)
Unannounced inspections are a preliminary step in an investigation of possible anti-competitive practices and often start as a whistleblower.
The EU never discloses the names of the groups it inspects and therefore did not specify which companies were concerned, or in which member states.
