L 26214 Official Journal of the European Communities 2.10.2001 COMMISSION COMMISSION DECISION of 29 June 2001 relating to a proceeding under Article 81 of the EC Treaty (Case COMP[F-2/36.693 — Volkswagen) (notified under document number C(2001) 1698) (Only the German text is authentic) (Text with EEA relevance) (2001/711/EC) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to Council Regulation No 17 of 6 February 1962, first Regulation implementing Articles 85 and 86 of the Treaty ('), as last amended by Council Regulation (EC) No 1216/1999 (3, and in particular Article 15(2) thereof, Having regard to the Commission decision of 21 June 1999 to initiate proceedings in this case, Having given the parties concerned the opportunity to make known their views on the objections raised by the Commission, pursuant to Article 19(1) of Regulation No 17 and Commission Regulation (EC) No 2842/98 of 22 December 1998 on the hearing of parties in certain proceedings under Articles 85 and 86 of the EC Treaty (3, After consulting the Advisory Committee on Restrictive Practices and Dominant Positions, Whereas: 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1. Procedure (1) A Volkswagen AG circular dated 17 April 1997 was brought to the Commission's attention in the form of an annex to a complaint from a car buyer. In it, Volkswagen's Marketing Director for Germany called on Volkswagen dealers and garages to sell the new VW Passat Variant model, introduced in Germany on 6 June 1997, for not less than the recommended retail price and to observe ‘strict price discipline’. (2)  In its reply to a formal request for information sent by the Commission pursuant to Article 11 of Regulation No 17 (%), Volkswagen AG submitted two further circulars concerning the price of the new VW Passat dated 26 September 1996 and 26 June 1997. 1 (") O] 13, 21.12.1962, p. 204/62. () O] L 148, 15.6.1999, p. 5. () O] L 354, 30.12.1998, p. 18. (*) Request for information sent by the Commission to Volkswagen AG on 17 July 1997, and reply sent by Volkswagen AG on 22 August 1997.