Italian Competition Authority investigates jewelry and watch producer for competition violations

The Autorità Garante Della Concorrenza E Del Mercato (“AGCM”), the Italian Competition Authority, recently launched an investigation into jewelry and watch producer Morellato S.p.A. for suspected violations of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (“TFEU).  The AGCM announced that it suspects the company has entered into selective distribution agreements with terms that expressly prohibit authorized distributors from selling products online and on third-party platforms, while retaining the right to do so itself.  According to the Authority, Morellato’s prohibition on the use of third-party platforms in its distribution agreements may be preventing distributors from effectively using the Internet to sell products to particular customers or territories, in violation to Regulation (EU) 720/2022 of the European Commission.

AGCM Press Release