14/07/2017 (Agence Europe) – On Thursday 13 July, MEPs at the regional development committee (REGI) welcomed the work undertaken by the Commissioner for Competition, Margrethe Vestager, and the changes introduced last May to the per category exemption regulations (see EUROPE 11790), which have helped simplify the rules on state aid. The Commissioner subsequently explained that the constraints experienced by the regional airports, maritime and inland ports, as well as assistance to culture and the situation of the outermost regions (ORs) had been better taken into account. Younous Omarjee (GUE/NGL, France), the author of an own initiative report on the derogated status of the ORs recently adopted by the European Parliament (see EUROPE 11824), was particularly grateful to the Commissioner and asked her to tackle the question of the monopolies hampering development of the ORs. (PH)