Competition Weekly e-news

The European Commission has approved a €1 billion Finnish scheme to support companies in the context of Russia's war against Ukraine. The scheme was approved under the State aid Temporary Crisis and Transition Framework, adopted by the Commission on 9 March 2023 to support measures in sectors which are key to accelerate the green transition and reduce fuel dependencies. The new Framework amends and prolongs in part the Temporary Crisis Framework, adopted on 23 March 2022 to enable Member States to support the economy in the context of the current geopolitical crisis, already amended on 20 July 2022 and on 28 October 2022.

The European Commission adopted a decision to establish a High-Level Group on the Digital Markets Act (DMA).
This High-Level Group may provide the Commission with advice and expertise to ensure that the DMA and other sectoral regulations applicable to gatekeepers are implemented in a coherent and complementary manner. It may also provide expertise in market investigations into emerging services and practices, to help ensure that the DMA is future-proof. The High-Level Group will have a mandate of two years and will meet at least once per year.

On 20 March 2023, the European Commission has started unannounced inspections at the premises of a company active in the energy drinks sector in various Member States.

The European Commission has approved, under the EU Merger Regulation, the proposed acquisition of VOO and Brutélé by Orange. The approval is conditional on full compliance with a commitments package offered by Orange.

The Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion (DG EMPL) is organising a series of three mutual learning workshops to increase the use of State aid possibilities for the social economy by filling the potential knowledge gaps of participants with a more thorough understanding of State aid law.
The workshops are designed for public officials from national, regional and local public administrations of all 27 Member States and countries associated to the EaSI strand of ESF+, who design aid schemes at their administration level, with a direct interest in social economy and social enterprises.
Public officials are kindly invited to express their interest in participating in this series of mutual learning workshops by completing the pre-registration questionnaire by 28 March 2023.

DG Competition will go on the road and hold five debates in mid-sized towns and cities in different parts of Europe between spring 2023 and early 2024.
This debates series is designed to clear the ground for an open and fact-based discussion on the economic and social implications of competition and its rules, and their impact on the daily lives of all citizens.
First step is Modena, Italy on 20 April 2023 and it will be devoted to How competition and its rules can serve the people.

DG COMPETITION will celebrate twenty years of EU antitrust enforcement under Regulation 1/2003 with a conference that will bring together leading experts to discuss and reflect on the achievements, needs and challenges of the current antitrust procedural framework.
Attendees will have the opportunity to hear insights and reflections from keynote speakers including enforcers, private practitioners, in-house counsels and academics, and participate in panel discussions.