EU regulators to probe German complaint against AFP

(BRUSSELS) - European competition regulators said Wednesday they would consider a complaint from a German press agency against AFP, accused of benefitting from illegal French state aid.

"We have received a complaint against AFP and we are going to examine it," said European Commission competition spokeswoman Amelia Torres.

She said the complaint was filed by Deutsche Depeschendienst (DDP) and that Brussels would be seeking the French government's comments.

DDP accuses AFP of using dumping practices on the German market.

AFP chairman Pierre Louette rejected accusations he said were "without legal grounds."

"AFP does not receive from the French state any aid that violates European or national law, and does not transfer funds to its subsidiaries in Germany, which are profitable," he wrote in a letter to DDP president Martin Vorderwuelbecke.

"These subsidiaries are not engaged in the practice of dumping," added Louette, who announced on Wednesday that he would step down in order to take up a senior executive position at France Telecom.

Dumping occurs when a company sells a product at less than its normal value.

With a presence in 165 countries, AFP is with Reuters and The Associated Press, one of the world's three top news agencies.