The European Commission (EC) has dropped an investigation into Pratt & Whitney Canada (P&WC) turboprop engine aftermarket practices after the engine manufacturer amended and clarified its maintenance shop terms.
The EC investigated whether P&WC may have been restricting used serviceable material (USM) suppliers’ access to used turboprop engine cores for teardown, along with certification of the resultant spare parts.
“By limiting the ability of maintenance shops in their network to sell used engine cores or provide certification services to USM suppliers, P&WC may have restricted competition from independent USM suppliers,” the EC said.
On Aug. 21, the EC said it had closed the antitrust investigation after P&WC agreed to remove these restrictions and clarify that maintenance shops are not prevented from buying USM from other suppliers.
An EC spokesperson said it is “relatively rare” that a preliminary investigation is closed in this way. As the investigation was not formalized, no further details are available.
“Pratt & Whitney Canada confirms it has reached an informal settlement with the European Commission. We appreciate the commission’s engagement throughout the process,” a P&WC spokesperson said.
The EU said its concerns have been addressed but added: “The closure of the investigation is not a finding that the conduct in question complied with EU competition rules.”
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