In 2025, the Commission for Protection of Competition of the Republic of North Macedonia (the “Commission”) has considerably stepped up its enforcement efforts under antitrust rules in the country. Following several cartel investigations and misdemeanour proceedings, the Commission has now started to issue concrete sanctions against infringing undertakings.
The Commission has especially focused on retail, due to the rampant inflation which has burdened consumers in recent years. Accordingly, it has now fined four retail chains and a chamber of commerce in which these supermarket chains were associated. Each of the four supermarkets has received a fine of around EUR 50,000, while the chamber of commerce, acting as the coordinator between these market competitors, received a smaller but still hefty fine. In total, the sanctions amount to around EUR 220,000.
In its official press announcement, the Commission stated that these fines are intended not only to sanction the specific illegal conduct but also to deter future infringements, thereby protecting consumers and preserving market competition.
Following a dawn raid at the companies’ business premises back in February 2025, the Commission inspected official documents and electronic communication between the involved companies, uncovering evidence of an illegal agreement to coordinate their actions and refrain from purchasing goods from suppliers who introduced a new price list for their products. In its decision, the Commission classifies such an agreement as a “by object” restriction of competition, meaning that it is prohibited without the need to prove actual market effects, in accordance with Article 7, paragraph 1, item 1 of the Competition Law:
“All agreements concluded between undertakings, decisions of associations of undertakings and concerted practices which have as their object or effect the distortion of competition shall be prohibited, and in particular those which directly or indirectly fix the purchase or selling prices or any other trading condition.”
Although the Commission’s decision can still be challenged before the competent court, the size of the fines confirms the Commission’s shift toward a more aggressive enforcement approach. The risks of heavy fines and bad publicity should lead to reinforcement of companies’ efforts to strictly comply with competition rules and avoid any forms of unlawful coordination and communication with competitors.
The information in this document does not constitute legal advice on any particular matter and is provided for general purposes only.
