EU raids rail cargo companies

(BRUSSELS) - The European Commission said Wednesday it had raided several companies on suspicion of price fixing on rail cargo services in south-eastern Europe.

The Commission, which did not name the companies involved, said it carried out the surprise inspections on Tuesday in several member states.

The firms are suspected of breaching rules on price fixing and customer allocation of services, it said, adding that national authorities accompanied EU officials during the inspections.

The probe focuses on operators who bring together trailers from different origins to be loaded and unloaded onto trains but who at the same time also operate as shipping agents, the Commission said in a statement.

Surprise inspections are a preliminary step in investigations into suspected cartels, the Commission said, but it does not immediately follow that there has been any wrong-doing.

Companies will only be named if subsequently found to be implicated.