EU investigators searched the offices of several major gas companies in 10 countries in Central and Eastern Europe simultaneously on Tuesday.

The European Commission did not name the companies under investigation but said in a statement that its inquiry was focused "on the upstream supply level".

According to the Commission, there are suspicions that large European companies divided up the gas market among themselves and blocked competitors from accessing pipelines. This can harm consumers who end up paying higher prices.

Gazprom in focus

Germany's biggest gas provider E.ON Ruhrgas, the Berlin-based subsidiary of Russia's Gazprom, and Austria's OMV confirmed their offices were raided.

"I can confirm that the EU Commission was here and that we are cooperating with the inspectors," E.ON Ruhrgas spokesperson Helmut Roloff told Deutsche Welle, but declined to make further comments in this "ongoing inquiry".

A spokesperson of German energy provider RWE also confirmed the company was being probed in connection with its business links to Gazprom.

EU investigators also raided Gazprom's Czech subsidiary, according to the online edition of German business weekly Wirtschaftswoche.

"Gazprom has nothing to hide and calmly awaits the investigations," dpa quoted Burkhard Woelki, spokesman of Gazprom Germania.

Free flow of gas

The EU Commission said it wants to ensure "the diversification of sources of supply and the free flow of gas once it has entered the EU."

If the Commission's probe escalates into an official antitrust suit, the companies involved could face fines worth as much as 10 percent of their annual turnover.

Price and condition fixing to the detriment of consumers and clients are strictly forbidden in the European Union.

Report: Nina Haase (dpa, dapd)
Editor: Sam Edmonds