Engie and ENI are in the viewfinder of the Directorate-general for competition, consumption and repression of fraud (DGCCRF). On Monday, it announced that it had completed the last week of searches in the homes of two suppliers of gas and electricity, as well as in eleven sub-contractors working on their behalf. The name of the suppliers have not been communicated by the Repression of the frauds, but Engie has admitted to being the object of a procedure. As to ENI, it does not invalidate.
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The DGCCRF is currently conducting a survey for “canvassing abusive” on an energy market where the inflation of the suppliers and the complexity of some of these deals allow you to trade unscrupulous to abuse their interlocutors. For example, they show up under the identity of another company, are jointly sign contracts for gas or electricity or do not get the informed agreement of the consumer.
The Ombudsman is dubious, recalling that the failure to pay the subcontractors as the commission does not encourage these actors to be transparent
It’s been several months that the folder is on the table, but this is the first intervention of this magnitude on the part of the DGCCRF, which has mobilized 73 agents for the occasion. Last year, the Directorate-general for competition has received 1832 complaints in the area of electricity provision, a “figure multiplied by four compared to 2016”. In the spring, the national Ombudsman of energy has published a report without concession pinning the bad practices of the sector. Since the beginning, Engie and ENI point of the case is very isolated and claimed to be scrupulous in the information given to their sub-contractors, who do not take always into account.
The Ombudsman is dubious, recalling that the failure to pay the subcontractors as the commission does not encourage these actors to ensure transparency. Which of the outsourcer or sub-contracting is the prime responsible for the current situation? The DGCCRF said they want to make the light and recalls that the maximum amount of a possible fine may reach 10% of the turnover of the business.
