Conferences and Speeches
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Trends and milestones in competition policy since 2010
AmCham EU's 31st annual Competition Policy Conference, Brussels, Joaquín Almunia
14 October 2014
"The Commission is tackling the issue of tax competition since the late 1990s. [...]
The main reason behind our State aid action is the realisation that governments can distort competition in the Single Market not only by granting subsidies but also by offering sweetheart tax deals.
In particular, the deals we have identified benefit only a handful of large multinationals that can put enticing investments and job opportunities on the negotiating table.
Smaller companies cannot wield the same bargaining power."
Read full speech >
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Completing Convergence
European Competition Day, Rome, Alexander Italianer
10 October 2014
"If NCAs are not independent, if they do not have the staff, finances or enforcement powers to fulfil their tasks, or cannot impose adequate fines, then this affects their credibility, their impartiality, and their capacity to properly enforce competition law."
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Antitrust
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Commission fines Slovak Telekom and its parent, Deutsche Telekom, for abusive conduct in Slovak broadband market
15 October 2014
The Commission has imposed a fine of €38 838 000 on Slovak Telekom a.s. and its parent company, Deutsche Telekom AG, for having pursued during more than five years an abusive strategy to shut out competitors from the Slovak market for broadband services, in breach of EU antitrust rules.
In particular, the Commission concluded that Slovak Telekom refused to supply unbundled access to its local loops to competitors, and imposed a margin squeeze on alternative operators.
Deutsche Telekom as parent company with decisive influence is also responsible for the conduct of its subsidiary; it is therefore jointly and severally liable for Slovak Telekom's fine.
Deutsche Telekom also received an additional fine of €31 070 000 to ensure sufficient deterrence as well as to sanction its recidivism, as it had already been fined in 2003 for a margin squeeze in broadband markets in Germany.
VP Almunia's statement >
Press release >
Frequently asked questions >
Mergers
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Commission approves acquisition of Italian domestic appliances producer Indesit by Whirlpool
13 October 2014
The Commission has cleared the proposed acquisition of the Italian major domestic appliances manufacturer Indesit Company S.p.A. by its US rival Whirlpool Corporation.
Both companies manufacture and supply major domestic appliances ('MDAs'), including refrigerators, freezers, cooking appliances, dishwashers, washing machine stumble dryers or microwave ovens.
In addition, Whirlpool manufactures refrigeration compressors used in refrigerators and freezers.
The Commission concluded that the transaction would not raise competition concerns, given that many alternative MDA suppliers exist in the EEA and at national level.
Read more >
State aid
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Commission approves restructuring aid scheme for Irish credit unions
16 October 2014
The Commission has found an Irish scheme aimed at restructuring the credit union sector to be in line with EU State aid rules.
In particular, the Commission concluded that the scheme will strengthen the Irish financial sector, while limiting the risk of distorting competition in the Single Market.
This is the first scheme that a Member State puts in place for the restructuring of small financial institutions as foreseen in the Commission's 2013 communication on state aid for the restructuring of banks during the crisis.
Read more >
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Commission orders recovery of incompatible Slovak state aid from NCHZ and Fortischem
15 October 2014
The Commission has concluded that the Slovak chemical company Novácké chemické závody a.s. (NCHZ) benefitted from incompatible state aid during its bankruptcy procedure and that this aid has to be paid back.
Moreover, the investigation showed that Fortischem, who acquired practically the entire NCHZ business, is the economic successor of NCHZ and thus also benefitted from the aid.
Therefore, both NCHZ and Fortischem are liable to pay back the aid.
Read more >
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Commission approves creation of British Business Bank
15 October 2014
The Commission has concluded that UK plans for setting up the British Business Bank (BBB), an integrated entity for managing SME access to finance programmes in the UK, are in line with EU state aid rules.
In particular, the Commission considered that the BBB concept addresses market failures that hamper SME access to finance in an appropriate and proportionate way, without unduly distorting competition in the Single Market.
Read more >
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Commission orders Spain to recover additional aid granted through tax benefits for acquisitions of indirect shareholdings in foreign companies
15 October 2014
The Commission has concluded that a new interpretation of a Spanish tax scheme benefitting companies acquiring foreign shareholdings is incompatible with EU state aid rules.
The scheme allows companies to deduct the "financial goodwill" arising from the acquisition of indirect shareholdings in foreign companies from their corporate tax base.
The Commission has found that the measure provided the beneficiaries with a selective economic advantage which cannot be justified under the state aid rules, and which they must now repay to the Spanish state.
Spain did not notify this new interpretation, which extended the scope of an existing scheme, to the Commission for prior state aid scrutiny, as required.
Read more >
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Commission finds Slovak system of compulsory health insurance involves no state aid
15 October 2014
The Commission has concluded that the Slovak system of compulsory health insurance does not contain elements of state aid.
In particular, the Commission has found that the state-owned health insurers SZP/VZP are not undertakings because they do not carry out an economic activity within the meaning of EU rules.
Their activity is therefore outside the scope of EU state aid control.
Read more >
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Commission approves Romanian green certificate reduction for energy-intensive users
15 October 2014
The Commission has found that the Romanian green certificate reduction scheme, reducing the contributions of certain energy-intensive users to the financing of renewable energy, is in line with EU state aid rules.
The Commission has concluded that the partial compensation for the cost of financing renewable energy support is necessary to ensure the competitiveness of energy-intensive industries without unduly distorting competition in the Single Market.
Read more >
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Commission approves aid to manager of German Altenburg-Nobitz Airport; orders recovery of incompatible aid from Ryanair
15 October 2014
The Commission has found public measures granted by Germany to the manager of the Altenburg-Nobitz airport to be in line with EU state aid rules.
The measures further the connectivity of the region without unduly distorting competition in the Single Market.
The Commission also found that certain service and marketing agreements concluded between the airport manager and the airline Ryanair/AMS gave the latter an undue advantage estimated at around €300 000, which cannot be justified under EU state aid rules.
Ryanair and its marketing subsidiary AMS now need to repay the incompatible aid to Germany.
Read more >
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Commission approves public financing of Řresund fixed rail-road link infrastructure project
15 October 2014
The Commission has concluded that public financing granted by the Swedish and Danish states to the Řresund fixed rail-road link infrastructure project and hinterland connections on both sides of Řresund was in line with EU state aid rules.
The Commission found in particular that the measures furthered common transport priorities without unduly distorting competition in the Single Market.
Read more >
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Commission invites Ireland to update compensation arrangements for school bus scheme; closes in-depth investigation into Bus Éireann and Dublin Bus
15 October 2014
The Commission has concluded that arrangements to compensate state-owned Bus Éireann and Dublin Bus, the two principal bus companies in Ireland, for the operation of bus services across Ireland and for the transport of schoolchildren, were put in place before the liberalisation of the EU bus sector and therefore constitute "existing aid".
Whilst the compensation arrangements for the bus services that were the subject of this investigation ceased to be operational in December 2009, the arrangements for the transportation of schoolchildren are still in place and the Commission will now initiate a dialogue with Ireland to update those arrangements and bring them into line with EU state aid rules. The Commission also found that small grants made for training were compatible with the Single Market.
Read more >
Court
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