The Competition Council sanctioned 11 companies with fines totaling more than 3,673 million lei (about 798.626 euros) for the conclusion of anti-competitive agreements on the market for the use of heating cost distributors, according to a press release issued by the authority. The Competition Council found out that three companies (ista Romania, Techem Energy Services and Elsaco Brunata) agreed to share the market, respectively the localities where they provided services for the exploitation of the heating cost distributors, and set out the tariffs related to these services. The Elsaco Electronic Company participated for a limited period of almost an year, at the division of the national market understanding for the exploitation of the cost distributors for heat. In this way, consumers have restricted their choice of supplier, while paying higher rates for services provided by these companies, according to Agerpres.

In the course of the same investigation, the Competition Council found that there was an agreement to fix the tariff for the distributor exploitation service between Elsaco Brunata and Techem Energy Services on the one hand and seven partners on the other (Heat Energy Services, Cagero Instal, Laguna Serv, Ovila Com, Ploiesti Autonomous Public Services, Paşcani Autonomous Communal and Housing Management and Electroval Sound).

In fact, Elsaco Brunata and Techem Energy Services made available to the seven partners the software for calculating the cost of heating and also set the tariff for the service for reading and distributing the costs that consumers would have to pay. The setting of tariffs aimed at eliminating the price competition and increasing tariffs in relation to the final customers.

Companies ista Romania and Elsaco Brunata have recognized their participation in the anti-competitive agreement and benefited from a 15% reduction of the fine.