Albania
Albanian Competition Authority Initiates Monitoring of Retail Market for Basket Products in Major Supermarkets
In July 2026, the Albanian Competition Authority (the “ACA”) initiated a market monitoring procedure concerning the retail sale of essential consumer goods (the “Basket Products”) in major supermarkets operating in Albania. The decision follows complaints submitted by citizens, as well as concerns raised by members of the Parliament of the Republic of Albania regarding price levels for everyday consumer products.
The monitoring procedure covers the main supermarket operators active in the Albanian market and will analyse sales data, consumption patterns, and price movements from 1 January 2025 to June 2026, with a view to identifying trends that may affect competition and consumer welfare.
As part of this process, the ACA has requested that supermarkets to submit detailed information on their total sales for 2025 and the period January–June 2026, as well as a list of the 30 products representing the largest share of their sales. These products will be subject to a comparative analysis of market behaviour, pricing trends, and potential differences between operators.
The ACA will, in particular, examine whether pricing patterns, market structures, or commercial practices among retail operators raise competition concerns or warrant further regulatory assessment under Albanian competition legislation.
A monitoring procedure allows the ACA to collect and analyse information regarding competitive conditions without making any finding of infringement. Depending on the results, the ACA may determine whether further action, including initiating formal proceedings, is warranted.
Further updates are expected from the ACA as the monitoring process develops and additional market data is assessed.
Croatia
Croatian Competition Authority opens proceedings and conducts dawn raids over suspected bid rigging in public procurement of private security services
The Croatian Competition Authority (the “CCA”) has initiated proceedings against STORM SECURITY d.o.o., Kastav (“Storm Security”), and PROSIGUR USLUGE d.o.o., Rijeka (“Prosigur Usluge”), on suspicion that the two undertakings entered into a prohibited agreement within the meaning of Article 8 of the Croatian Competition Law in connection with a public procurement procedure for private security services conducted by the Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund.
In particular, it is suspected that the bids submitted by Storm Security and Prosigur Usluge were the result of collusion aimed at distorting competition in the procurement procedure. To collect additional evidence and establish the relevant facts, the CCA conducted unannounced inspections at the business premises of both undertakings, based on an order issued by the High Administrative Court of the Republic of Croatia.
The CCA emphasised that the initiation of proceedings and the inspections do not prejudge the outcome of the case, and that any finding of infringement will be based on the facts established during the investigation.
North Macedonia
Macedonian Competition Commission continues to impose gun-jumping fines
On 3 June 2026, the Macedonian Competition Commission (the “Macedonian Commission”) issued Decision PP No. 09-48/13 against AUTO-AS DOO Skopje (“AUTO-AS”), finding the company liable for two separate violations of the Macedonian Competition Law:
- (i) failure to notify a concentration before implementation; and
- (ii) implementing a concentration before obtaining clearance.
Treating the failure to notify and implementation without clearance as two separate violations is consistent with the Macedonian Commission’s established practice, under which the two infringements are sanctioned independently.
In particular, AUTO-AS acquired 5,300 ordinary shares in GRADEŽEN INSTITUT MAKEDONIJA AD Skopje (“GIM”) on 5 December 2025, bringing its combined stake to 89.839% and acquiring control within the meaning of the Macedonian Competition Law. Although AUTO-AS notified the transaction to the Macedonian Commission on 4 December 2025, the concentration was already implemented before the merger filing was deemed complete, and before the issuance of the merger clearance.
The Macedonian Commission imposed a fine of MKD 153,700 (approx. EUR 2,497.97) for failure to notify (0.778% of the total annual revenue) and MKD 123,000 (approx. EUR 1,999.02) for implementation without clearance (0.622% of the total annual revenue), resulting in a total aggregate fine of MKD 276,700 (approx. EUR 4,496.99) (1.4% of total annual revenue in 2024). Mitigating circumstances included that the concentration was ultimately cleared with no harm to competition, that AUTO-AS voluntarily submitted the notification, and that it cooperated effectively throughout the proceedings.
This decision serves as a reminder that the Macedonian Commission is becoming increasingly proactive in identifying gun-jumping infringements and that businesses contemplating share acquisitions in North Macedonia should assess their merger control obligations and obtain clearance before closing.
Serbia
Serbian Competition Commission opens proceedings over suspected bid rigging in the fruit and vegetable procurement sector
On 28 July 2026, the Serbian Competition Commission (the “Commission”) initiated ex officio proceedings against FRESH LINE d.o.o. Kraljevo (“Fresh Line”), JUŽNA PRUGA d.o.o. Leskovac (“Južna Pruga”) and GARIĆ PROMET, an entrepreneur from Šarlince (“Garić Promet”), on suspicion that they infringed Article 10 of the Serbian Competition Law by entering into a restrictive agreement in connection with a public procurement procedure for the supply of fruit and vegetables.
The proceedings were initiated following a complaint submitted by the Specijalna bolnica za psihijatrijske bolesti “Gornja Toponica”, which raised concerns regarding possible coordination among the three bidders. According to the Commission’s preliminary findings, although the undertakings submitted separate bids, their conduct during the procurement procedure may have resulted in the elimination of effective competition. Specifically, Južna Pruga failed to accept a correction of a mathematical error in its bid within the prescribed deadline, while Garić Promet withdrew its bid after being selected as the most advantageous bidder. As a result, the contract was awarded to Fresh Line, whose bid was significantly higher than those of the other two participants.
The Commission further noted that, following the award of the contract, Fresh Line sought to engage Garić Promet as a subcontractor, and that Garić Promet allegedly carried out deliveries under the contract.
On the basis of these circumstances, the Commission found grounds to suspect that the parties coordinated their conduct and effectively refrained from competing, resulting in the contract being awarded to the initially least competitive bidder. The Commission will undertake further investigative measures to establish the relevant facts and determine whether an infringement of competition law has occurred.
Slovenia
Slovenian Competition Authority Opens Proceedings Against Nine Suppliers of Computers
The Slovenian Competition Protection Agency (the “SCPA”) has opened proceedings against nine companies over suspected bid rigging and price coordination in public procurement for the supply of desktop and laptop computers and related peripheral equipment.
The proceedings, initiated at the end of June, concern suspected collusion among the companies, which may have concluded a prohibited restrictive agreement or engaged in concerted practices in Slovenia and therefore allegedly infringed Article 5 of the Slovenian Competition Law and Article 101 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (“TFEU”).
The companies under investigation are (i) Acer Europe; (ii) ACORD-92, d.o.o., Ljubljana; (iii) ACTUAL I.T. d.d.; (iv) EMC Computer Systems Austria; (v) Gambit Trade d.o.o.; (vi) HP Computing and printing d.o.o.; (vii) LANCom d.o.o.; (viii) Lenovo Technology; and (ix) SRC d.o.o. (all companies together as the “Companies”). The proceedings concern alleged collusion dating back to June 2019, with the Companies suspected of participating in various procurement procedures over different periods.
According to the SCPA, there are indications that the Companies coordinated their conduct in tenders for the supply of personal and portable computers and related peripheral equipment, in particular by agreeing on prices, submitting tailored bids, and allocating public contracts among themselves.
The case is linked to the procurement of laptops carried out during the previous term of the Ministry for Digital Transformation of the Republic of Slovenia (“Ministry”). In January 2024, the SCPA conducted unannounced inspections at the premises of LANCom d.o.o.Unistar, Gambit Trade d.o.o., and ACORD-92, d.o.o., Ljubljana, over suspected collusion in the procurement of 13,000 laptops purchased by the Ministry, suspecting them of unlawful price coordination and concerted bidding. The Ministry paid around EUR 6 million for the purchase.
The scope of the investigation has since expanded from four to nine participants. In addition to the companies inspected in early 2024, the proceedings now include the foreign suppliers Acer Europe, Lenovo Technology and EMC Computer Systems Austria, as well as the Slovenian system integrators ACTUAL I.T. d.d. and SRC d.o.o.
The SCPA has emphasised that the opening of proceedings does not prejudge the outcome of the investigation or establish any infringement of competition law. Nevertheless, the case is noteworthy because it concerns alleged bid rigging and price coordination in public procurement involving several domestic suppliers and international computer manufacturers and highlights the SCPA’s continued enforcement of competition rules in public procurement.