This decision was reached following a detailed complaint received by the Authority during a proceeding over alleged anti-competitive practices in the market for bottled gas in Sardinia; the complaint had to do with the conduct of top-level management at Butan Gas, ENI and Liquigas.

The Italian Competition Authority has decided to extend the investigation begun on 24 April 2008 into an alleged anti-competitive arrangement in bottled LPG in Sardinia to the whole national market for LPG for home use. The decision was reached following receipt by the Authority of a detailed report stating that Butan Gas S.p.A. (BUTANGAS), Eni S.p.A. (ENI) and Liquigas S.p.A. (LIQUIGAS), the principal operators in Italy, participated in an arrangement for the joint determination of retail list prices for bulk LPG and bottled LPG throughout the country.

According to the report the agreement was reached by way of meetings of top-level managers. The conduct complained of covered at least the years from 1994 to 2005 and had consequences in the following years as well.

Given this extension of its scope, the investigation must now be concluded by 31 January 2010.