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On 13 March 2026, the Belgian Competition Authority (“BCA”) announced the opening of an investigation into practices implemented by AutoScout24 Belgium through its intermediation platform AutoScout24.be, on the basis of alleged abuse of a dominant position.
AutoScout24 operates an online platform and a mobile application for the sale of second-hand automotive vehicles. The investigation was triggered by a complaint concerning practices that may restrict the portability of data entered on the platform by professional sellers. According to the BCA, such restrictions could discourage sellers from “multi-homing”, i.e. using several competing platform services in parallel.
Multi-homing may play a key role in mitigating network effects and the market power of large digital platforms. Allowing professional users and consumers to switch or operate across multiple platforms without significant costs or obstacles promotes competition, lowers entry barriers for newer players and supports innovation.
Under Article 102 TFEU and Article IV.2 of the Code of Economic Law, undertakings holding a dominant position have a specific responsibility not to allow their conduct to impair competition. They are therefore prohibited from practices that distort competition, such as exclusionary or exploitative conduct (predatory or excessive pricing, refusal to supply, exclusivity, tying and bundling, etc.). In the used-car advertising market, such an obligation aims at preventing platforms with significant market power from abusing their position to disadvantage consumers or smaller competitors.
AutoScout24 Belgium will have the opportunity to prepare its defence.
In its priorities paper for 2026 published on 27 February 2026, the BCA highlighted that digital platform practices remain one of its enforcement priorities. It stated: “The emergence of online platforms as intermediaries in e-commerce and the service sector in general is creating new dependencies for both consumers and businesses. Online platforms are often characterised by significant economies of scale and by direct and indirect network effects that reinforce their potential market power. They also frequently have the ability to improve their services and algorithms through access to detailed (personal or not) data. In addition to applying the DMA to global digital “gatekeepers” in cooperation with the European Commission, the BCA will therefore remain vigilant for any abuse of dominant position or economic dependence by such online platforms.”
Earlier this year, on 27 February 2026, the BCA also opened proceedings against Google concerning a potential abuse of dominance in the online advertising sector.
It should be remembered that abuses of dominance may be sanctioned by the BCA at the end of the procedure launched ex officio, or following a complaint, by a fine of up to 10% of the company’s worldwide turnover.
