37 A COVID-19 TASK FORCE The French Authority set up an internal Covid-19 Task Force, to respond rapidly to requests from companies for information on how to safeguard virtuous initiatives. The Task Force also made it possible to coordinate market surveillance during the crisis, to analyse the various conducts observed and, where necessary, to take rapid action to remedy the detected conduct. Any person (company or consumer) who considers that an action taken by one or more companies is likely to be anticompetitive may This framework also took into account the report it to the Autorité at the in response to a crisis situation, excep- impact of the crisis on merger control, as following dedicated address: tional circumstances, a public disaster or signalement.externe@ a manifestly abnormal market situation well as the progress of investigations into autoritedelaconcurrence.fr anticompetitive practices. in a given sector". To meet demand and tackle the sharp rise in the selling price The European network indicated that this of sanitising gels or solutions since the extraordinary situation may trigger the emergence of the coronavirus in France, need for companies to cooperate in order the Government decided to make use of to ensure the supply and fair distribution this provision. As such, it promulgated of scarce products to all consumers. In various decrees regulating the prices of the current circumstances, the ECN will these products and extending manufac- not actively intervene against necessary turing authorisations in order to tackle and temporary measures put in place in against companies taking advantage shortages. order to avoid a shortage of supply. of the current situation by cartelising or abusing their dominant position. Message of the ECN to companies on Companies that had any doubts as to the what they can do in the face of the compatibility of these cooperation initia- In this context, the ECN wished to point Covid-19 epidemic, Press Release of the tives with competition law could at any out that the existing rules allow manu- Autorité de la concurrence, 23 March time contact the Commission or the rele- facturers to set maximum prices for its 2020 vant national competition authority for products. It should be noted that, under informal advice. French law, article L. 410-2, paragraph Covid-19 Section of the website of the 3, of the French Commercial Code (Code Autorité de la concurrence At the same time, it is of utmost impor- de commerce) providse that(trans- tance to ensure that products considered lated) "The provisions of the first two … essential to protect the health of consu- paragraphs [relating to freedom of pri- mers in the current situation (e.g. face cing] do not prevent the Government masks and sanitising gel) remain avai- from adopting, by decree in the Council lable at competitive prices. The ECN will of State, temporary measures to prevent therefore not hesitate to take action excessive price increases or decreases, REINVENTING OUR MEANS OF ACTION