Statement from the General Rapporteur of the Competition Council

The investigation and inquiry services of the Competition Council carried out unannounced inspection and seizure operations on June 24, 2025, at two companies suspected of implementing anti-competitive practices in the financial and accounting audit market and related markets.

These inspection and seizure operations were carried out with the authorization of the Prosecutor of the King in whose jurisdiction the searched premises are located, and with the assistance of judicial police officers designated for this purpose, in accordance with the provisions of Article 72 of Law 104-12 on freedom of prices and competition as amended and supplemented.

It should be noted that at this stage, the unannounced inspection and seizure operations carried out do not prejudge the existence or non-existence of the alleged practices or the guilt of the companies concerned. Indeed, only the deliberative bodies of the Competition Council can, after a thorough adversarial investigation respecting the defense rights of the parties concerned, rule on the validity of the practices if the elements of the investigation and inquiry establish their existence.

For reasons related to preserving the defense rights of the visited companies, the Competition Council will not make any comments at this time on the identity of the visited companies or on the practices subject to the inspection and seizure operations.

As a reminder and in accordance with the provisions of Article 16 of Law 20-13 on the Competition Council, the latter has investigation and inquiry services that conduct the necessary investigations and inquiries for the application of the provisions of the law on freedom of prices and competition, concerning anti-competitive practices and the control of economic concentration operations.

In this context, the inspection and seizure operations regulated by the aforementioned Article 72 constitute an investigative tool that allows for the collection of on-site evidence and information necessary for the investigation of cases related to anti-competitive practices or the failure to notify economic concentration operations to the Competition Council (Gun jumping).

Rabat, June 30, 2025