The Competition Council has initiated an investigation into alleged anti-competitive actions by the National Public Health Agency and the Ministry of Health after it was found that the Agency also offers other medical services on competitive markets that go beyond the list of services agreed by the Government, IPN reports.
According to a press release of the Council, the National Public Health Agency is an administrative authority that ensures state supervision of public health and exercises state control in this area. The sanitary authorization for the operation of enterprises providing services in the field of public health is one of the Agency’s functions. Under the Law on State Surveillance of Public Health, the Agency can also provide services in the field of public health, at the request of individuals or legal entities, according to the tariffs set by the Government. However, according to the information available to the Competition Council, the Agency also provides other medical services on competitive markets, which supposedly go beyond the list of services approved by the executive.
Thus, the Agency participated in a number of public procurement procedures regarding medical examination services, announced by public medical and sanitary institutions of the country, as a direct rival to the enterprises whose activity is authorized by the National Public Health Agency.
Within the investigation, the Competition Council will determine whether the provision of such services by the Agency on competitive markets does not distort competition.
