The Austrian packaging recovery system Altstoff Recycling Austria AG (ARA) has been sent a statement of objections by the European Commission as part of antitrust proceedings, the Brussels institution announced on Thursday. In its preliminary view, the DG Competition believes ARA may have abused its dominant market position and hindered competitors from entering the market.
The Commission "has concerns" that ARA may have interfered with the access of potential competitors to collection infrastructure for household packaging waste. In addition, ARA may have also foreclosed competitors from the market for the management of commercial packaging waste.
Although there was some competition in the commercial waste management sector, the Commission had come to the preliminary view that ARA had used its monopoly for household packaging waste to strengthen its position on the market for commercial waste, said the Brussels authority.