Tag: competition

Commenting on the Commission’s retail banking inquiry report, Nicola Jentzsch of the Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS) argues that more competition in retail banking will bring benefits, such as better service, lower prices and savings.

The European Commission has slapped a record 750 million euro fine on a group of heavy power-gear suppliers, including Germany's Siemens AG, in a bid to secure genuine competition in EU electricity markets.

Presenting the final results of an inquiry into the EU's energy markets, anti-trust chief Neelie Kroes said that Europeans are losing out because of inefficient and expensive gas and electricity markets. She promised tougher action.

The Commission has adopted a Regulation doubling the level of government subsidies that small businesses may receive without breaking EU rules on state aid.

Although the internal market is at the core of the EU and although, especially for Germany, the advantages are undeniable, the internal market is often criticised. Dr Joachim Wuermeling, state secretary at the German Federal Ministry for Economics and Technology, highlights the achievements, dangers and current and future challenges. 

The liberalisation of the European Telecoms in 1998 marked a milestone for the sector and anticipated the opening up of markets worldwide. However, the technological developments pushed the European authorities to carry out a reform of the common rules. The result was the second telecoms package adopted in April 2002.

On 18 October 2006, the Commission adopted a plan for opening up postal markets to unrestricted competition by 2009. The question now is not ‘when?’, but ‘how?’.

Member states must abolish nationality requirements for notaries offering legal services in their country, the Commission has decided. This should allow more choice and better prices for citizens.

Environmentalists have pointed the finger at the Commission for telling Luxembourg that the guaranteed price it pays in support of renewable energies is creating market distortions.

Despite new rules to increase competition, quality and choice in the repair sector, car manufacturers are still holding back technical information which would allow independent repairers to offer cheaper services.

The Commission has proposed increasing the level of government subsidies that small businesses can receive without breaking rules on state aid.

Artificially created national champions may have short-term appeal but are often to the long-term detriment of European consumers and competitiveness, the EU's competition commissioner has said.

Commission raises "serious doubts" about the conditions imposed by Spain on Germany's E.ON attempted takeover of energy utility Endesa. Madrid has until 4 September to respond.

The Commission considers opening an antitrust inquiry into the licensing strategies of Blu-Ray and HD DVD, the two consortia competing in the market for new high-capacity DVDs.

The European Court of First Instance has overturned the Commission's 2004 decision to clear the merger of the music units of Sony and BMG Bertelsmann, putting future mergers in the music industry in question.

The Commission proposes to cap the charges that operators impose on each other for using their network in an attempt at cutting down the price of using mobile phones abroad. Consumers could see their 'roaming' bill cut by up to 70%.

According to a new Eurostat survey, the electricity markets of only ten of the 25 EU member states have been completely opened as of September 2005.

Microsoft lawyers have argued, on the first day of a one-week hearing with the European Court of First Instance, that the Commission's 2004 antitrust decision was fundamentally flawed.

According to a preliminary report into the payment card industry published on 12 April 2006 by DG Competition, the sector is in breach of EU antitrust rules.

The European Commission has taken legal action against 17 member states for dragging their feet in applying EU electricity and gas market liberalisation legislation into national law.

A new offer by Microsoft to give rival companies unlimited support in understanding technical documentation on the Windows operating system is a step in the right direction, but still not sufficient, the Commission says.

A Commission decision ending British Sky Broadcasting's exclusive rights to the English FA Premier League live matches aims to increase innovation through more competition in providing coverage to football fans.

National energy regulators from the 25 EU member states have launched a public consultation to improve information and transparency on electricity markets for large industrial consumers.

Commissioners Kroes and McCreevy get ready to take on national champions and big utilities in the energy sector.