Cartels
eLeniency
eLeniency is a new online IT tool designed to make it easy and less burdensome to submit statements and documents to DG COMP.
eLeniency is available at: eleniency.ec.europa.eu.
Who can use eLeniency
eLeniency is open to companies and to the lawyers representing them as part of antitrust and cartel proceedings run by DG COMP.
eLeniency is available in English but statements can be made in all 24 official EU languages.
What benefits does eLeniency provide
Companies and their lawyers can use eLeniency to file statements and submissions in the context of leniency applications (immunity from fines or reduction of a fine). eLeniency can also be used for providing replies to requests for information made under point 12(a) of the Leniency Notice. The system enables companies and their lawyers to type-in corporate statements directly online on DG COMP’s secure server and to upload supporting documents. All submissions are to be made in writing, with no recording of the statements.
eLeniency avoids the need for companies or their lawyers to travel to DG COMP’s premises to dictate oral corporate statements. eLeniency is available online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
eLeniency can be used as part of cartel settlement procedures for submitting documents, providing comments or making formal settlement submissions to the Commission.
eLeniency can also be used to submit corporate statements, provide comments or make formal settlement submissions to the Commission in non-cartel proceedings under Articles 101 and 102 TFEU, where an undertaking cooperates with a view to acknowledging an infringement of competition rules.
Confidentiality and legal protection
The eLeniency system provides the same guarantees in terms of confidentiality and legal protection as the traditional procedure. All data is transferred securely and can’t be copied or printed. Corporate statements under the Leniency Notice that are made via eLeniency are protected from disclosure.
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In practice:
- Statements or submissions can’t be saved. They must be typed in one go. Once a user starts making a statement or submission, the session remains open for 12 hours. For long statements that can take longer than 24 hours to type-in, fragmented statements with proper referencing are also accepted.
- Before a user formally submits and uploads a statement or submission to the eLeniency server, he or she can preview it and make corrections.
- The Commission can’t retrieve any statement or submission, or any supporting documents, until they’ve been formally submitted in eLeniency.
- Once a statement or submission has been uploaded to the eLeniency server, only the Commission can access it and no trace of it remains on the user’s computer.
- The user receives a timestamp confirming the recorded date and time of submission to the Commission.
How to access eLeniency
- To access eLeniency the first time, users must first create an EU Login account (or use an existing EU Login account).
An EU Login can be created for a law firm
or individually (by lawyer or by partner).
- Users must then send an email to
comp-leniency@ec.europa.eu indicating the email
address linked to their EU Login account asking to have their EU Login registered with the eLeniency system. This ensures only authorised users have access. The registration of user requests will be done from 09.00 to 17.00 on weekdays.
- Registered users can
then login to eLeniency at:
eleniency.ec.europa.eu
NB: As the registration
process may require some time, companies and their lawyers are
advised to register in advance before using eLeniency.
NB: Before a change in
position (e.g.: no longer working in the same law firm or
company), an information email from
the user to
comp-leniency@ec.europa.eu will be appreciated.
Guidance for submitting supporting documents
Users are advised to
follow the
guidance for
submitting supporting documents in eLeniency.
Background
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