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ARTICLE · 17 MARCH 2026

Strengthening Investigative Powers Signifies A Continued Appetite For Enforcement

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2025 saw a plethora of dawn raids as well as authorities reaching for enhanced detection tools and investigative powers.

GlobalAntitrust/Competition Law
Thomas Masterman
Thomas Masterman
Imogen Carr
Imogen Carr
Laura Harvey
Laura Harvey
Emily Bourne
Emily Bourne
Adithya Menon
Adithya Menon
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2025 saw a plethora of dawn raids as well as authorities reaching for enhanced detection tools and investigative powers.

Dawn raids rebooted: digital-age powers and home searches

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Of the 31 jurisdictions surveyed, 22 (71%) confirmed that the regulator had carried out dawn raids during 2025. Although this represents a slight dip compared to 2024, this by no means signifies that regulators are slowing the pace, with multiple raids carried out by the European Commission (EC) and regulators in Canada, Germany, Spain, and Japan.

Dawn raids focused on suspected bid-rigging in several jurisdictions. For example, Brazil's Administrative Council for Economic Defense (CADE) carried out a raid as part of an investigation into an alleged cartel in bus transportation bidding processes. In the Netherlands, the antitrust authority conducted unannounced raids in connection with its investigation into possible bid-rigging by three contracting companies in a municipal tender

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