* Firms suspected of blocking gas exports to other EU
countries
* Gazprom (MCX:GAZP) charged with similar offence a year ago
(Adds Petrom to list of companies raided)
By Foo Yun Chee and Luiza Ilie
BRUSSELS/BUCHAREST, June 7 (Reuters) - EU antitrust
regulators have raided Romanian state-owned gas producer Romgaz
ROSNG.BX , gas pipeline operator Transgaz ROTGN.BX and top
oil and gas firm OMV Petrom ROSNP.BX over suspected blocking
of gas exports to other EU countries.
The European Commission said the raids took place on Monday
but did not name the companies, in line with its usual policy.
Romgaz, Transgaz and OMV Petrom, controlled by Austria's OMV
OMVV.VI , said on Tuesday they were raided.
The EU competition enforcer charged Gazprom last year with a
similar offence, a case which the Russian gas company is trying
to settle with concessions to avoid a possible billion-euro
fine.
Allowing cross-border gas sales is a cornerstone of the
Commission's strategy to create a single energy market in the
28-country bloc.
"The Commission is investigating potential anticompetitive
practices in the transmission and supply of natural gas in
Romania, in particular relating to suspected anticompetitive
behaviour aimed at hindering natural gas exports from Romania to
other member states," the EU executive said in a statement on
Tuesday.
Romgaz, one of two major gas producers in Romania, said it
was a target of the raids.
"We confirm the inspection. It is ongoing and as a result we
cannot comment over the motives," the company said.
State-owned Transgaz also confirmed the EU raid.
"OMV Petrom is cooperating with the European Commission
within an inspection related to potential practices on the gas
market in Romania, which could envisage restrictions of gas
exports," the third company said, declining further comment.
Romania is one of the EU's least energy-dependent states. It
produces the bulk of its gas locally and imports up to 8 percent
of its needs from Russia.
However, its interconnections are not fully developed,
meaning Romania can import significantly more than it can
export. Its investment in making interconnections work both ways
has been lagging.