The third and final inter-institutional negotiation session between the European Parliament and the Bulgarian Presidency of the Council of the EU ('trialogue') saw the parties reach a political agreement on reinforcing the resources of the national competition authorities (NCAs).
Parliament's rapporteur, Andreas Schwab (EPP, Germany), welcomed the agreement. “We have managed to secure even more independence, resources and powers for NCAs,” he said. Margrethe Vestager, the Commissioner for Competition, welcomed an agreement on a future directive that will “ensure that [NCAs] can take their decisions in full independence, based on the facts and the law”.
The outcome is no surprise, as the negotiators were optimistic after the second trialogue session on 14 May that an agreement could be reached by the end of the month (see EUROPE 12021).
A couple of points were still open, such as leniency measures and, in particular, summary claims, with the aim of making these attractive in order to put an end to anti-competitive practices. Within this framework, businesses must deal with the European Commission, but the NCAs will be competent under exceptional circumstances.
And although the question of the provisional measures that NCAs may take against businesses in emergency situations was still outstanding, the Commission has undertaken to carry out an analysis to this effect in the framework of the European Competition Network (ECM).
This political agreement must now be approved by Parliament on the Council. (Original version in French by Lucas Tripoteau)