Strasbourg, 10/03/2009 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 10 March in Strasbourg, the European Parliament called on the European Commission to “undertake an analysis of the effects on competition of unequal relationships between suppliers, namely food producers, and retailers, in view of possible abuses of dominant position”. Also, adopting (by 570 votes to 84 and 9 abstentions) the own-initiative report by Jonathan Evans (EPP-ED, UK) on efforts accomplished to improve competition policy, the EP states it “looks forward to the reporting by the Commission's working group on buying power”.
Also, with the adoption of an amendment by the rapporteur, the Parliament states it is “worried about the increase in market concentration and conflicts of interest within the banking sector” and “warns against possible global systemic risks that arise from conflict of interest and concentration”.
Energy: opening up markets and improving transparency. MEPs regret that “energy consumers in the European Union continue to suffer from disproportionate price increases and a distorted energy market, which was recognised as a result of the Commission's sector inquiry as not functioning properly”, and stress again the “importance of a fully completed and well-functioning internal market for energy”. Finally, they support the Commission in its endeavours to “further develop the European gas and electricity markets, with a crucial element being the separation of the transmission networks on the one hand, and the production and supply activities on the other (unbundling)”. (L.C./transl.jl)