EU anti-trust chief insists trading exchanges stay 'fair'

(BRUSSELS) - EU competition chief Joaquin Almunia said Tuesday that financial markets must remain "fair, efficient and therefore competitive," as he spoke of a looming decision on the endangered merger of Deutsche Boerse and NYSE Euronext.

"Exchanges are a crucial instrument for modern and efficient capital markets," Almunia was to tell a Brussels audience according to the text of a speech released in advance. "And for this reason, competition between exchanges is needed."

Making reference to the planned merger, which company leaders and EU sources have hinted is unlikely to get a green light, he said simply "our decision will be adopted soon."

The European Commission is counting down towards a February 9 deadline on what would create, if passed, the world's largest market operator worth over $17 billion (14 billion euros).

Almunia said the Commission "will seek to ensure that European markets remain fair, efficient and therefore competitive to the advantage of their users," adding that "competitive markets are the best way to incubate globally successful firms."

A senior NYSE Euronext executive said last week said they would not make additional concessions to secure approval by the Commission of the tie-up that would put the New York Stock Exchange under the same roof as the German market operator.

A person familiar with the EU review told AFP last week that the proposed merger as it stands was unacceptable.

EU competition authorities opened a probe into the deal in August over concerns that the merged company would control 90 percent of the European derivatives market.