Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2006-03-15-Speech-3-272"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.20060315.23.3-272"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:spoken text |
".
Mr President, Europe thrives on breaking down barriers between Member States, not on erecting them. Open and competitive markets are key drivers for growth and jobs in Europe. Companies that are successful players in the European market are also well placed to compete globally.
The Commission will always look with concern at any attempt by national governments, directly or indirectly, to interfere unduly in the process of cross-border corporate restructuring in Europe. The Treaty enshrines the principle that there should be no unjustified impediment to the fundamental freedoms it establishes – in particular the free movement of capital – or to the right of establishment within it. Fundamental to these rights is the freedom for companies to re-structure, including by change of ownership.
To deny this possibility to companies as a matter of principle or by failing to implement correctly the provisions of the EC sectoral legislation introducing competition in the markets – such as energy, telecoms and financial services – would amount to a serious restriction of their ability to adapt to the challenges presented by the integration of markets in the EU, to the rapid advances in technology which many industries are experiencing, and generally to the evolving dynamics of doing business in the Europe of today.
European industry is rising to these challenges, including by the appearance of an increasing number of cross-border European businesses. Whilst the effects of individual mergers must be assessed on a case-by-case basis in accordance with the relevant competition rules, mergers between companies based in different Member States are likely to increase competition in the Member State concerned, thereby contributing to the realisation of concrete benefits for European consumers in the form of lower prices and wider choice. Take the energy sector as an example. The Green Paper published by the Commission last week was very clear. Sustainable, competitive and secure energy will not be achieved without open and competitive energy markets, based on competition between companies looking to become Europe-wide competitors rather than dominant national players. Open markets will strengthen Europe and allow it to tackle its problems. At the same time, the process of cross-border corporate restructuring enhances the competitiveness of European businesses by equipping it to succeed in global markets.
Any interference in this process by national governments which is not justified by legitimate interest as provided for in the Treaties, secondary legislation or jurisprudence, risks being seriously damaging to Europe’s prospects of benefiting from the opportunities presented by market integration and globalisation.
The Commission, as you know, has two principal legal instruments at its disposal – the single market rules in the EC Treaty and Article 21 of the EC Merger Regulation – for addressing undue interference by national authorities in relation to corporate restructuring. It has the duty to enforce these rules accordingly wherever appropriate.
As guardian of the EC Treaty, and as the institution responsible for merger control on competition grounds at the European level, the Commission is determined to guarantee that companies can effectively benefit from the advantages of the EU’s internal market. That is why enforcement of these provisions is, and will remain, one of the Commission’s central priorities."@en1
|
| lpv:unclassifiedMetadata |
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples