Overview   General news

Keynote speech of the EVP Ribera at the 23rd International Conference on Competition,
Berlin, 12 March 2026.
[...] "Competition enforcement can complement political priorities but parliaments decide on political priorities and trade-offs.
So, in these uncertain geopolitical times I wish for competition policy that we know is principled, that we work to modernise and that we acknowledge is very relevant, but complementary." [...]

On March 3rd, Executive Vice-President Teresa Ribera, responsible for a Clean, Just, and Competitive Transition hosted her second Youth Policy Dialogue. The ten young winners of DG Competition’s Student Challenge linked to the Blueprint Conference of last January met the EVP. They discussed together a blueprint for our future in Europe, exchanging bold and innovative ideas for competition policy and other, broader policies of the European Commission.

Today, the European Commission and the United Kingdom signed the EU-UK Competition Cooperation Agreement. The agreement sets a new and clear framework for cooperation on competition matters between, on the one side, the Commission and EU Member State competition authorities, and, on the other side, the UK's Competition and Markets Authority. It is the first dedicated EU-UK agreement fully focused on competition cooperation following the withdrawal of the UK from the Union.
See also Opening remarks by Executive Vice-President Teresa Ribera at the signing ceremony of the EU – UK Competition Cooperation Agreement.

If you are interested in the topics of the Blueprint Conference and are a university student, you are invited to take on our Student Challenge and give yourself a chance to share your views with EVP Teresa Ribera.
How?
(i) Watch the Blueprint Conference on or after 29 January 2026; (ii) Choose a panel discussion; (iii) picture yourself among the speakers and (iv) tell us what you would have talked about.
Send your abstracts — no more than 250 words — to comp-blueprint-conference@ec.europa.eu by 10 February 2026 at 6 pm CET
Prize?
We will invite the winners to Brussels to meet EVP Ribera for a Youth Policy Dialogue like this one. Read the complete Student Challenge rules and good luck to all.

The timeline for our policy objectives 2024–2029 is now updated. It offers a clear view of what lies ahead for competition policy.

DG Competition has launched today an open call for tenders for the organisation of a EU-Africa School on Competition Policy.
The focus of the planned activity will primarily be to explain key concepts of EU competition law and enforcement policy to African officials and to introduce them to the functioning of the European Competition Network. This action should allow African enforcement officials and policymakers alike to critically reflect on and review current domestic competition legislation as well as enforcement practices. As a potential result, competition law enforcement will become fairer, predictable and more rigorous, thereby improving investment conditions for EU and African companies on the African continent.
Deadline for applications is 19th March 2026.

On 29 January, 2026, Executive Vice-President Teresa Ribera will host an international conference whose main objective is exploring the Commission's priorities on climate change, promoting growth, reducing inequalities and securing a sustainable future for the next generations. Executive Vice-President Ribera is inviting top experts, policymakers and opinion leaders to share their views at a time that many describe as an inflection point in Europe’s history. Confirmed spakers include Enrico Letta, Nadia Calviño and Fatih Birol.

On 29 January, 2026, Executive Vice-President Teresa Ribera hosted an international conference in which top experts, policymakers and opinion leaders shared their views on climate change, promoting growth, reducing inequalities and securing a sustainable future for the next generations
In case you missed it, you can watch the recorded debate.

The European Commission is currently revising Regulations 1/2003 and 773/2004, which form the framework for the enforcement of Articles 101 and 102 TFEU, notably with the aim of keeping up with transformative changes such as the digitalisation of the economy.
In this context, DG Competition is organising a reality check workshop to further discuss with stakeholders their views on different policy options presented in the Call for evidence. The discussion will also aim to collect views on simplification of the rules and practical implications of the proposed policy options, to ensure they are well targeted, and will deliver the benefits intended. These views will inform the preparation of a draft legislative proposal.

Speech by EVP Teresa Ribera at the 2025 CRA Brussels Conference,
Brussels, 9 December 2025.
[...] "As European Commissioners it is our duty to stand up, in order to defend values and the enforcement of our laws. As Commissioner in charge of competition, it is my duty to defend the competition toolkit, to enforce competition laws, including the DMA, even in times of weaponisation of trade." [...]

Keynote Speech by EVP Teresa Ribera at the OECD Global Forum on Competition,
Paris, 1 December 2025.
[...] "Competition law is not a tool for controlling markets or advancing narrow economic interests. It is an essential pillar of open, fair, and sustainable markets. It should never be a bargaining chip in trade negotiations or a tool for protectionism.
Its purpose is to safeguard citizens' welfare and strengthen economies in a socially and environmentally responsible way.
For this, international cooperation, dialogue and a strong commitment to multilateralism are essential." [...]

In the context of the evaluation of Regulation 1/2003, some stakeholders argued that the principles set out in the Court of Justice’s 2010 Akzo judgment should be revisited so that in-house lawyer correspondence can benefit from legal professional privilege. This Competition Policy Brief examines the arguments raised. It finds no reason to depart from the wellestablished principles in the case-law.

Remarks by EVP Teresa Ribera at the Lisbon Conference on Competition Law and Economics,
Lisbon, 24 October 2025.
[...] "I want to leave you today with a simple message: Europe's future competitiveness will not come from weakening competition, closing markets, or protecting incumbents.
Competition policy is about preventing excessive power, and is therefore critical to our democracy.
Nor will competitiveness come from ignoring climate change, lowering our standards, or deregulating instead of simplifying.
We cannot ignore the externalities of our economic choices. Competition tools can help with this. So can our Single Market. But there is no competitiveness in a race to the bottom".

Opening commission statement delivered by Executive Vice-President Teresa Ribera at the European Parliament's Plenary session,
Strasbourg, 20 October 2025.
[...] " The purpose of our antitrust laws is not imposing fines for the sake of it.
It is about changing behaviour, protecting our markets and our citizens. But for the enforcement of our rules, we sometimes need to fine for illegal behaviour." [...]

The European Commission appointed Yves-Alexandre de Montjoye as Chief Technology Officer (CTO) in DG COMP.
Professor de Montjoye, a Belgian national, currently serves as Professor of Applied Mathematics and Computer Science at Imperial College London where he heads the Computational Privacy Group. He brings outstanding academic and practical expertise in AI and other advanced technologies, along with extensive experience in assessing their policy and regulatory impact.
A very warm welcome to him!

DG Competition has once again received a FIVE-star rating in the 25th edition of Global Competition Review (GCR)’s annual Rating Enforcement Survey, one of only two enforcement bodies worldwide to be awarded the top five-star rating — alongside Germany’s Federal Cartel Office.
The GCR report underlines: “The European Commission remains the most influential antitrust authority in the world, setting global benchmarks through both its enforcement record and the breadth of its policy initiatives.”

Remarks by EVP Teresa Ribera at the 52nd Annual Conference on International Antitrust Law and Policy, and Antitrust Economics at Fordham Law School,
New York, 19 September 2025.
[...] "In Europe, we are committed to facilitate a clean, just and competitive transition of our economy.
We want companies to succeed; we are happy to see them grow; we welcome their contribution to prosperity.
But as a society, we set limits to their power.
Because we know that innovation suffers under monopoly. Sustainability suffers under monopoly. And freedom and democracy suffers under monopoly.
And we also know that as law enforcers, we are mandated to ensure a well-functioning market, without fear or favour".

Opening remarks by EVP Teresa Ribera at the International Bar Association (IBA) Conference,
Florence, 12 September 2025.
[...] "The principles I outlined today, from our firm but fair enforcement to the modernisation of our foundational competition rules, are not simply a checklist of actions.
They are essential components of a single, coherent vision for a bright future for Europe. We are convinced that this is also the aim of most of our fellow colleagues in this room, and beyond.
Our objective is clear: to cultivate a truly dynamic and innovative European economy where businesses of all sizes can scale up, where European citizens are empowered with real choices, and where markets serve people".

You can now explore the timeline mapping all competition policy revisions and updates. Over the past months, DG Competition has launched a major revision of the rules to ensure they keep pace with fast-changing markets and remain fit for the technological, societal, and geopolitical challenges of our time. This fresh approach aims to support European companies to innovate, compete and lead globally – while contributing to sustainability, social fairness and security.
You can check the below section "Public consultations" to discover the calls currently open for your participation.

The Communication on the Clean Industrial Deal: A joint roadmap for competitiveness and decarbonization published on 26 February 2025 (CID), announced that the Commission will carry out a fact-finding exercise aimed at assessing the need for greater industry cooperation in the procurement, recycling, and re-use of key raw materials.
After a call for input, which closed on 31 May 2025, the Commission now wishes to take the next step and examine further how it can support the industry. It invites market participants to reply to this Questionnaire on Cooperation. With the Questionnaire, the Commission aims to better understand what forms of cooperation could support the CRM industry, including recycling, and to identify whether and how it could offer guidance that could contribute to the realisation of relevant cooperation projects.
See also the European Commission's press release.