129Nor can it be inferred from that provision that where a national competition authority has begun an investigation into particular facts the Commission is immediately prevented from taking action in the case or taking a preliminary interest therein. On the contrary, it follows from the requirement of close collaboration laid down by that provision that both those authorities may, at least in the preliminary stages such as investigations, work in parallel So, it is clear from Article 11(6) of Regulation No 1/2003, on which the applicant relies, that the principle of cooperation implies that the Commission and the national competition authorities may, at least at the preliminary stages of cases in respect of which they have received a complaint, work in parallel That provision in effect provides that, subject only to consulting the national authority concerned, the Commission retains the option of initiating proceedings with a view to adopting a decision even where a national authority is already dealing with the case. Therefore, the Commission must, a fortiori, be able to carry out an inspection such as that ordered in this case. A decision ordering an inspection is a step that is merely preliminary to dealing with the substance of the case, and does not have the effect of formally initiating proceedings within the meaning of Article 11(6) of Regulation No 1/2003; an inspection decision does not in itself demonstrate the Commission s intention to adopt a decision on the substance of the case (see, to that effect, in relation to Regulation No 17, Case 48/72Brasserie de Haecht [1973] ECR 77, paragraph 16). Recital 24 in the preamble to Regulation No 1/2003 also states that the Commission should be empowered to undertake such inspections as are necessary to detect any infringement of Article 82 EC, and Article 20(1) of that regulation expressly provides that, in order to carry out the duties assigned to it by the regulation, the Commission may conduct all necessary inspections.