Solidarity between Monti and Washington

Date: 23/05/02

By Peter Chapman

WASHINGTON anti-trust chief Charles James and Competition Commissioner Mario Monti put on a public show of solidarity in Brussels yesterday (15 May), despite their differences over merger jurisdiction.

In his first trip to the Belgian capital, the US Assistant Attorney-General made light of transatlantic divisions since the Commission's decision to veto the GE-Honeywell merger last July.

He joked that people might expect he and Monti to 'strip to the waist and fight with each other'.

But that did not happen, he said, because America agreed with the EU on 'the vast majority of issues'.

The US had 'an absolutely fabulous working relationship with the European Union' and had no intention of 'dictating' to Brussels.

However, James warned of the 'enormous consequences' to the global economy posed by the growing number of competition authorities taking different decisions on the same merger deals.

He is backing a new 'International Competition Network' to boost convergence, but added: 'No one seriously believes the world is ready for a global anti-trust code enforced by a global anti-trust agency.'

• Monti caused mild consternation by referring to his US counterpart as 'General James' throughout the conference at DG Trade headquarters.

Report of meeting between US Assistant Attorney-General Charles James and EU Competition Commissioner Mario Monti, Brussels, 15 May 2002.