EU anti-monopoly mechanism assault to check Russian energy giants

BERLIN — European Union and German regulators carried out unannounced inspections at several companies involved in the supply, transmission and storage of natural gas, on suspicion of violating E.U. competition regulations, the authorities said on Thursday.

None of the companies targeted in the raids, which took place on Tuesday, were identified, and both the European Commission, the executive arm of the bloc, and Germany’s antitrust regulator, the Bundeskartellamt, refused to comment further.

Reuters and German media reported that two companies subjected to the inspections were Gazprom Germania and Wingas, both subsidiaries of Gazprom, Russia’s state-owned gas supplier. Neither company responded to requests for comment.

The commission said the surprise raids were part of “a preliminary investigatory step into suspected anticompetitive practices.” If sufficient evidence of wrongdoing is found, a formal investigation can proceed.