European Economic and Social Committee

PRESS RELEASE No 053/2007 / 5 June 2007

European Economic and Social Committee

Neelie Kroes attends EESCINT section meeting: A consumer-friendly
competition policy

Neelie Kroes,European Commissioner for Competition, addressed the 87th meeting of the EESC's section for the Single Market, Production and Consumption on 4 June 2007.

Ms Kroes outlined recent developments in competition policy and exchanged views with section members on the implementation of the State Aid Action Plan, the fight against cartels, group actions and opening up of the energy market.

"This year," Ms Kroes said, "the Commission tabled a proposal for a general block exemptionregulation to simplify, rationalise, strengthen and increase the opportunities for aid, without the need for prior notification of the Commission. Block exemptions already exist for aid for SMEs, job creation, training and the regions. The new regulation will also cover new types of aid, such as aid for research and development, aid for environmental protection and aid in the form of venture capital," she added.

Ms Kroes highlighted the importance of several recent EESC opinions, particularly those on the 2005 report on Competition Policy and on the Green Paper on damages actions for breach of EC antitrust rules.

"The Commission feels that it is appropriate to continue discussing certain proposals which seek to improve the conditions for bringing damages actions for breach of EC antitrust rules. We will be putting forward these ideas in a White Paper, which we hope to be able to present towards the end of the year, along with a detailed impact assessment. I hope that the Committee will also provide us with useful input during this stage of the process," Ms Kroes continued.

Whilst highlighting the Commission's readiness to cooperate, CommissionerKroes specified that "the end userwas always the same – the consumer." Stressing the need to ensure that civil society was better informed, Ms Kroes emphasised the role that the Committee and its members could play in this context.

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The European Economic and Social Committee represents the various economic and social components of organised civil society. It is an institutional consultative body established by the 1957 Treaty of Rome. Its consultative role enables its members, and hence the organisations they represent, to participate in the Community decision-making process. The Committee has 344 members, who are appointed by the Council of Ministers.