56Such a strict interpretation of the national legislation, totally prohibiting the limitation period from being interrupted by action taken subsequently in the course of the investigation, appears likely to compromise the effective application of the rules of EU competition law by national competition authorities, in that that interpretation could present a systemic risk that acts constituting infringements of that law may go unpunished. It should be recalled in that regard, as pointed out in paragraph 51 above, that EU competition law cases require, in principle, a complex factual and economic analysis. Thus, in a significant number of cases involving a high degree of complexity, such subsequent action, which necessarily extends the duration of the proceedings, might prove necessary.
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