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France Competition Authority Raids Auditing Firms in Antitrust Probe

By  |  January 14, 2026

France’s competition authority has conducted surprise raids on several auditing and financial reporting firms as part of an ongoing antitrust investigation, according to Reuters. The watchdog confirmed on Wednesday that it is examining potential anti-competitive practices in the sector, which plays a central role in certifying corporate accounts.

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    The Autorité de la Concurrence said it carried out unannounced inspections a day earlier, visiting company premises and seizing documents linked to auditing and financial certification services. The authority did not disclose the names of the firms involved, noting that the investigation is still at an early stage and that such actions do not imply wrongdoing, per Reuters.

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    However, the French financial newsletter La Lettre reported that the four largest global auditing firms—Deloitte, KPMG, EY and PwC—were among those targeted in the operation. Reuters reported that Deloitte declined to comment when contacted, while KPMG, EY and PwC did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

    According to Reuters, the competition watchdog said the companies under scrutiny are suspected of engaging in practices that may have restricted competition. The authority emphasized that the inspections are investigative measures and do not amount to a conclusion of guilt.

    The so-called Big Four firms dominate the auditing and financial certification market for large corporations in France, as they do in many other countries. Their influence over the sector has long attracted regulatory attention, particularly amid concerns about market concentration and limited competition, according to Reuters.

    Source: Reuters