Competition Authority activity in 2015 at a glance

During 2015 the Competition Authority issued 68 decisions, out of which:

• 42 concerned merger control;
• one refered to the abuse of a dominant position; and
• 25 were state aid decisions.

In 17 of the state aid decisions the authority approved aid. The authority confirmed that the remaining eight decisions related to state aid of minor importance (de minimis state aid) and that the granted aid must not exceed €200,000 per beneficiary over three years.

The authority issued 32 opinions during 2015, five of which related to competition law and 27 to state aid law.

During 2015 the authority issued five fining decisions and imposed fines totalling Md46,583,700 (approximately €760,000), out of which:

• three decisions related to cartels in pharmaceuticals and public procurement, with a total fine of approximately €750,000; and
• two decisions related to abuse of dominant position in public utility services, with a total fine of approximately €10,000.

The total amount of fines in 2014 was significantly higher, at Md233,530,047 (approximately €3.8 million).

Taking into account the available human and financial resources, the authority is satisfied with the results achieved in 2015.

For further information on this topic please contact Srdjana Petronijević at Moravčević Vojnović i Partneri in cooperation with Schoenherr by telephone (+381 11 320 26 00) or email (s.petronijevic@schoenherr.rs). The Moravčević Vojnović i Partneri website can be accessed at www.schoenherr.rs.