Antitrust Compliance Program

In 2006, Eni launched its Antitrust Compliance Programme aimed at ensuring that Eni personnel are aware and understand the importance of antitrust regulations.The risk assessment carried out in 2006 through interviews with the relevant individuals resulted in an Antitrust Code of Practice being adopted in January 2007.

• The Code analyses the regulations concerning competition as they apply to the specific operations carried out in the business sectors where Eni operates, in such a way as to allow Eni personnel to identify any eventual areas at risk and to resolve and overcome the problems by involving the specific company departments responsible for analysing the individual cases and identifying the best course of corrective action to take.
• Numerous discussion and study sessions of the contents of the Code were held during the year, involving over 600 managers and supervisors. These training sessions will continue in 2008, with the aim of providing restricted groups of employees, whose responsibilities  expose them to antitrust risks, to study the specific problems connected to their company responsibilities and to the business area where they work.

With reference to verifications carried out during the year:

• Eni SpA and Polimeri Europa SpA were ordered to pay sanctions of approximately €132 million for an agreement covering the period 1993-2002 restricting competition in the elastomer sector. Eni SpA and Polimeri Europa SpA are preparing an appeal against the finding in front of the 1st Degree tribunal of the European Community.
• The preliminary investigation launched in 2007 by the competition and market guarantor authority into a possible anti-competition agreement made between the main oil companies aimed at restricting competition in the car fuel distribution market was closed without any case being found to answer and without any sanctions being levied. The investigation was closed following a commitment to promote initiatives in favour of consumers and/or of a pro-competition nature reached by Eni and the other oil companies involved.
• In 2007, the investigation carried out by the competition and market guarantor authority into the possible abuse of a dominant market position by Eni SpA, Snam Rete Gas SpA and GNL Italia SpA in the management and utilisation of re-gasification capacity sector was also closed without any case being found to answer and without any sanctions being levied, and following a commitment by the companies in question for a gas release of 4 billion cubic metres of gas – 2 billion per year for two years – beginning on 1 October 2007.