ERRA Regulatory Story No. 18: When a Dominant EV Operator Squeezes the Market: Case Study of Italy

The Italian Competition Authority (AGCM) imposed in July 2025 the first antitrust sanction in the European EV charging sector against Enel X (Ruling 31646). It establishes that margin squeeze by a vertically integrated group that operates both as Charging Point Operator (CPO) with dominant position and Mobility Service Provider (MSP) constitutes an abuse of dominant position under Article 102 TFEU, and that the equally efficient competitor standard applies to wholesale-retail price differentials in nascent infrastructure markets. This Regulatory Story provides a concise legal and regulatory analysis of the AGCM decision, together with the European context that gives the AGCM ruling its wider significance and its implications for energy EU NRAs operating under the AFIR (Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation) framework.