The Italian Competition Authority (AGCM) has opened a formal investigation into DJI Europe B.V. and its Italian importer Nital S.p.A. over suspected resale price maintenance (RPM) practices that may violate European Union competition law. The investigation centers on allegations that the companies imposed fixed resale prices on retailers selling DJI enterprise drones in Italy, threatening suppliers and removing price competition from the market.
The Regulatory Authority
The AGCM (Autorità Garante della Concorrenza e del Mercato) is Italy’s independent competition regulator, established in 1990, responsible for enforcing both Italian and European consumer protection and competition laws. The Authority has broad investigative powers, including the ability to conduct dawn raids at company premises, request information from undertakings, and impose fines up to ten percent of a company’s annual turnover. In this case, AGCM officials conducted inspections at Nital’s premises and several DJI enterprise drone resellers on October 23, 2025, assisted by the Special Antitrust Unit of the Italian Financial Police (Guardia di Finanza).
The Alleged Violation
According to complaints received by the AGCM, DJI and Nital allegedly monitored discrepancies between prices charged by resellers and those published on Nital’s website (www.hobbyhobby.it). Retailers who deviated from these prices reportedly received cease-and-desist letters citing unauthorized use of DJI’s trademark and threats of supply interruption. The Authority also suggests the companies attempted to restrict parallel imports—purchases from foreign suppliers at lower prices—to maintain their pricing system across Italy.
Legal Framework
The investigation focuses on potential breaches of Article 101 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), which prohibits anticompetitive agreements between companies. Resale price maintenance is classified as a “hardcore restriction” under Article 4(a) of Commission Regulation (EU) No. 720/2022, the EU’s Vertical Block Exemption Regulation. This classification means RPM cannot benefit from block exemption and is presumed to restrict competition by limiting price competition between retailers, potentially leading to higher consumer prices.
Under Italian and EU competition law, RPM is considered one of the most serious infringements of competition law, rarely justifiable under efficiency defenses. Recent EU enforcement includes the October 2025 fines totaling €157 million imposed on luxury fashion brands Gucci, Chloé, and Loewe for similar RPM practices.
DJI stated in an email to Reuters that it is “committed to complying with rigorous legal and regulatory standards” and will “fully cooperate with the relevant authorities as their investigation progresses”. Nital was unavailable for comment.
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Ian McNabb is a journalist focusing on drone technology and lifestyle content at Dronelife. He is based between Boston and NH and, when not writing, enjoys hiking and Boston area sports.
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