05/04/2006 (Agence Europe) - MEP Malcolm Harbour (British Conservative) has welcomed the Commission's initiative to act against the Member States that refuse to open their energy markets up to competition, while regretting that it has come to this (see EUROPE 9167). A “fully functional” European energy market would “help mitigate some of the recent gas and electricity price rises we've seen”, says the MEP, adding that the Commission is “right to take drastic action to clamp down on the energy giants who are using their size to block competition and distort the market in their favour”. (…) I have personally met many high energy-using businesses whose companies are being severely affected by uncompetitive energy costs which are threatening expansion and potentially costing jobs”.