The Romanian Competition Council has fined five companies a total of 6.42 million lei (approximately €1.27 million) for participating in an agreement that restricted the sale of Esaote-brand medical imaging equipment in Romania. The sanctioned companies include Esaote SpA (Italy) and DTL Medical SRL (Romania).
Between 2020 and 2022, these companies agreed to limit the marketing of equipment within Romanian territory, effectively isolating Romania from the broader European market. Through formal agreements and coordinated behaviors, distributors were prevented from accepting customer requests from other territories, which affected competition and pricing.
The Competition Council emphasized that such agreements are illegal and harm customers, particularly hospitals, by reducing access to more advantageous offers. The authority's decisions are enforceable, and the Romanian National Tax Administration Agency (ANAF) will collect the imposed fines.
Source: Read the original report | Published: May 22, 2026