Communication: Ten years of antitrust enforcement under Regulation 1/2003: achievements and future perspectives

Regulation 1/2003 was a landmark reform which comprehensively overhauled the procedures for the application of Articles 101 and 102 TFEU ("EU competition rules"). It introduced an enforcement system that is based on the direct application of the EU competition rules in their entirety. It empowered Member States’ competition authorities ("NCAs") and national courts to apply all aspects of the EU competition rules, in addition to the European Commission. It also introduced new, close forms of cooperation between the Commission and NCAs, notably in the framework of the European Competition Network ("ECN").

To mark ten years of enforcement of Regulation 1/2003, this Communication: (1) provides a facts based review of public enforcement during this period by the Commission and the NCAs; and (2) examines some key aspects of enforcement by the NCAs, in particular institutional and procedural issues, with a view to its further enhancement. It is to be read in conjunction with the accompanying Commission Staff Working Documents which contain a more detailed review.

The Communication builds on the Report on five years of functioning of Regulation 1/2003. It found that the new system has positively contributed to the stronger enforcement of the EU competition rules, but that some aspects merited further evaluation, such as divergences in procedures and fining powers.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: Antitrust: Commission calls for strengthening position of national competition authorities to ensure effective enforcement of competition rules throughout the EU http://www.europeansources.info/record/press-release-antitrust-commission-calls-for-strengthening-position-of-national-competition-authorities-to-ensure-effective-enforcement-of-competition-rules-throughout-the-eu/

EUR-Lex: COM(2014)453: Follow the progress of this communication through the decision-making procedure http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/HIS/?uri=COM:2014:453:FIN

EUR-Lex: SWD(2014)230: Ten years of antitrust enforcement under Regulation 1/2003 http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=SWD:2014:230:FIN

EUR-Lex: SWD(2014)231: Enhancing competition enforcement by the Member States' competition authorities: institutional and procedural issues http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=SWD:2014:231:FIN

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