Competition Policy in the EU

Latest business news about the Competition policy of the European Union.

The EU's Competition Policy is about applying rules to make sure that companies compete with each other and innovate and offer good prices to consumers. The European Commission is responsible for Europe as a whole. It keeps an eye on companies to make sure they don't club together to share the market between them or don't act in a way to exclude would-be competitors. If they step out of line then it can impose considerable fines on them which can be up to 10% of their turnover.

FACT SHEETS

EC Competition Contacts

LATEST NEWS

Polish phone company loses Court challenge — 16 March 2010, 10:33 CET

The European Court of Justice has ruled against Poland's largest phone company, Telekomunikacja Polska SA, in a challenge to Polish national legislation that blocks service providers from binding customers to combined sales contracts.

EU probe into transatlantic airline alliance nears end — 15 March 2010, 18:50 CET

European competition enforcers on Wednesday indicated that a probe into a transatlantic tie-up between British Airways, American Airlines and Iberia may be about to close.

Euro-MPs urge EU rethink on competition policy — 11 March 2010, 23:50 CET

A resolution adopted by the EP today, 9 March, highlights the need to assess the effectiveness of Member States' state-aid activities during the crisis, scale back the protectionist reflexes that it triggered and update EU competition rules, inter alia by revisiting the "fines only" policy. The EP lists on-line advertising, and the telecoms, pharmaceuticals and dairy sectors as areas needing further action.

Court backs EU anti-dumping duties on Chinese shoes — 04 March 2010, 18:01 CET

Europe's General Court ruled on Thursday that a decision to impose anti-dumping measures on shoes from China and Vietnam was sound.

Microsoft gives EU Internet users access to rival browsers — 02 March 2010, 15:50 CET

Millions of Internet users in Europe can now access Microsoft rivals' web browsers through its dominant Windows system, the EU Commission said Tuesday, welcoming the move as a boon to consumers.

EU clears giant mobile phone merger in Britain — 02 March 2010, 13:19 CET

EU competition authorities on Monday approved a giant merger between France Telecom's Orange UK and Deutsche Telekom's T-Mobile UK to create Britain's largest mobile phone operator.

EU regulators to probe German complaint against AFP — 24 February 2010, 23:12 CET

European competition regulators said Wednesday they would consider a complaint from a German press agency against AFP, accused of benefiting from illegal French state aid.

EU probing trio of Google complaints — 24 February 2010, 13:21 CET

European regulators said on Wednesday that they are investigating complaints filed by three web companies that contend the US Internet giant Google is not playing fair.

Google accused of not playing fair in Europe — 24 February 2010, 10:35 CET

Google on Tuesday said that the European Commission is looking into complaints filed by three companies that contend the US Internet giant is not playing fair.

Microsoft-Yahoo! deal gets green light from regulators — 19 February 2010, 02:37 CET

US and European regulators have cleared the way for Microsoft and Yahoo! to blaze on with a planned tie-up aimed at taking on Internet search king Google.

Microsoft-Yahoo! deal gets green light from regulators — 19 February 2010, 11:29 CET

Microsoft and Yahoo! say US and European regulators have cleared the way for them to blaze on with a planned tie-up aimed at taking on Internet search king Google.

Microsoft, Yahoo! deal wins US antitrust approval — 18 February 2010, 17:32 CET

Microsoft and Yahoo! said Thursday their tie-up plan in the Internet search and advertising business had cleared US and European Union antitrust hurdles.

Brussels greenlights Microsoft, Yahoo! deal — 18 February 2010, 17:57 CET

European and US regulators have given their blessing to Microsoft's plan to take on Yahoo!'s internet search and advertising business, designed to challenge Google.

EU competition regulator clears HP buyout of 3Com — 12 February 2010, 17:52 CET

The European Commission on Friday cleared the purchase by US computer giant Hewlett-Packard of networking company 3Com, saying it would not harm competition in Europe.

EU clears sale of Solvay pharmaceuticals to Abbott — 11 February 2010, 20:02 CET

European regulators on Thursday cleared Belgian chemical company Solvay's plans to sell its entire pharmaceutical business to US drugs group Abbott for more than 4.5 billion euros.

EU acts over suspected freight cartel with China, US links — 10 February 2010, 16:42 CET

The EU's competition watchdog said Wednesday it had contacted several companies it suspects of taking part in price-fixing cartels in the air freight forwarding business.

EU backs Dutch aid to AFN AMRO, Fortis while extending probe — 08 February 2010, 15:29 CET

The EU competition watchdog on Monday temporarily approved a Dutch recapitalisation package for ABN AMRO and Fortis Bank Nederland (FBN), while extending its in-depth probe into state aid for the nationalised banks.

EU approves Swedish guarantee for loan to Saab — 08 February 2010, 15:29 CET

The EU's competition watchdog on Monday approved Swedish plans to act as guarantor for an European Investment Bank (EIB) to car-maker Saab.

Dexia announces sell-off deal to assuage EU over bailout — 05 February 2010, 20:47 CET

Franco-Belgian bank Dexia, rescued by a major bailout during the 2008 crisis, has agreed to slash its operations by over a third over the next four years in order to get EU approval for the public aid.

EU approves TenneT buyout of E.ON's German power lines — 05 February 2010, 12:22 CET

The EU's competition watchdog on Friday approved Dutch energy group TenneT's takeover of German rival E.ON's extra high-voltage distribution network in Germany, saying the deal posed no anti-trust threat.

Italy's ENI to sell gas pipelines to assuage EU — 04 February 2010, 17:27 CET

Italian energy group ENI announced Thursday it will sell its interests in three international gas pipelines to bring to end an EU probe over suspicions of abuse of its dominant market position.

EU asks WTO for sanctions against US — 04 February 2010, 00:08 CET

The European Union is seeking EUR 223 million in sanctions on US imports in retaliation against US anti-dumping measures, a document on the WTO website showed on Wednesday.

EU raids electrical equipment producers amid cartel fears — 04 February 2010, 11:43 CET

The EU competition watchdog says it has carried out raids on electrical equipment producers amid suspicions they have been running a cartel.

Brussels mulls anti-trust moves by BA, American, Iberia airlines — 01 February 2010, 11:23 CET

The EU is considering concessions made by British Airways, American Airlines and Iberia to alleviate competition concerns over their transatlantic tie-up.

EU clears Deutsche deal for Sal. Oppenheim — 29 January 2010, 19:17 CET

European regulators on Friday cleared a 1.0-billion-euro (1.39 billion dollars) deal for Germany's biggest lender Deutsche Bank to buy Sal. Oppenheim, a Luxembourg-based private banking group.