Competition Weekly e-news

The European Commission has approved a €4 billion French scheme to support measures aiming at reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the manufacturing sector and help it  transition towards a net-zero economy, in line with the Green Deal Industrial Plan. The scheme was approved under the State aid Temporary Crisis and Transition Framework, adopted by the Commission on 9 March 2023 and amended on 20 November 2023 and on 2 May 2024.

The European Commission has approved, under EU State aid rules, a €1.7 billion German scheme to support rail freight operators in single and group wagon transport. The measure will contribute to ensuring that the rail freight sector remains competitive while preserving the environmental performance of rail, in line with the objectives of the Commission's Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy and of the European Green Deal.

The European Commission has fined Mondelēz International, Inc. (Mondelēz) €337.5 million for hindering the cross-border trade of chocolate, biscuits and coffee products between Member States, in breach of EU competition rules. The Commission remains committed to bringing down unjustified barriers to ensure a better functioning of the Single Market. Territorial supply constraints by suppliers are a type of non-regulatory barriers to a proper functioning of the Single Market. 
See also Remarks by Executive Vice-President Vestager.

On 22 May 2024, the High-Level Group for the Digital Markets Act convened for the third time in Brussels. During this meeting, the High-Level Group agreed on the need to coordinate enforcement and adopted a public statement on Artificial Intelligence.
See also High-Level Group for the Digital Markets Act Public Statement on Artificial Intelligence.

DG COMP's Director General Olivier Guersent was interviewed for Rivalry, the Innovation Podcast of the GW Competition & Innovation Lab. In the conversation, hosted by professor Aurelien Portuese, Olivier talked about a variety of topics, including his path to become the head of DG Competition, tech giants or the Digital Markets Act.

The conference will look at transatlantic relations in competition policy and enforcement from three vantage points: our long and rich history, recent developments, and the implications of competition control for broader policy areas in Europe and the US.
Registrations are open for a limited time only!

The European Commission is pleased to announce its upcoming workshop on competition in virtual worlds and generative AI, scheduled for 28 June 2024. This event serves as a follow-up to the call for contributions launched in January 2024, which sought insights into the state of competition within these two sectors.
Registrations are open!