The European Commission (or to be more precise, and to point the finger in the right direction, DG Competition) has sweeping powers of investigation in cases of suspected infringement. Indeed, it has even sought and obtained powers that it then seems reluctant to use, such as the right to enter private homes in search of evidence. We still await in eager anticipation to see how it manages the first such intrusion into a domestic scene. In addition, it can call on the assistance of national authorities, some of whom have powers to go even further including bugging phones.
This article was originally published on Kluwer Competition Law Blog.