Brussels, 15/03/2005 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday, speaking before the EP Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs, Neelie Kroes announced her intention to publish, after Easter, “a clear roadmap” on reform of State aid. The Commissioner for competition policy confirmed that her services will initiate investigations “by the summer” in the energy and financial services sectors.
When it comes to State aid, one must “show proof of imagination”, Ms Kroes says, confirming that, after Easter, the Commission will publish a detailed plan on reform of State aid. The document will be submitted for consultation and ideas on this subject will be “very valuable”, she told MEPs. Reform must take effect after 2006, and its general idea is to reduce public aid intensity by targeting sector-specific or geographic areas where it brings real added value.
The Commissioner confirmed her intention to launch investigations by the summer on the energy and financial services sectors. Retail banking is not the only financial service concerned, as insurance and payments are also targeted. Inquiries will aim to give an “overview” of the situation in these sectors with regard to European competition rules, and should be concluded by the end of summer, Neelie Kroes pointed out. She went on to add that investigations will not concern the 25 Member States as a whole but rather a group of countries and answered in the affirmative when Italian MEPs asked whether their country was concerned.
In answer to questions on the services of general economic interest (SGEI), Neelie Kroes said the exoneration (Ed.: from the services directive) of local public services and hospitals does not pose a problem but that “we must be very cautious”. We recall the report by Dutch liberal Sophie in't Veld on the framework for public service compensations as adopted in plenary, which asserts that social housing and hospitals must not be the subject of exemption from notification (EUROPE of 24 February, p.14). The Commissioner did not reply to the question put by French Socialist Benoït Hamon on a possible timetable in favour of a framework directive on services of general economic interest.