| dc.description.abstract | The year 2001 saw intense activity in all three areas of competition policy: antinust, merger conffol and Stateaid. Several cases decided by the Commission aroused considerable public interest, either because ofparticularly high fines or aid amounts or because of the size of mergers that eventually were not authorised, orbecause of important settlements in antitrust cases linked to sports (footballer tansfers, Formula One). In themerger field" activity continued to be very substantial, although the rate ofnotified concentrations resulting in aprohibition decision remained very modest. The Commission adopted a Green paper on the review of themergerregulation with the aim of launching a debate on how to improve the cunent EU merger contol system.Substantial progress was also made in the area of State aid policy. The Stockholm European Councilcalled on all Member States to demonstrate a downward trend in State aid and to redirect aid towardhorizontal objectives of common interest. The increased transparency resulting from the new State aidregister and State aid scoreboard will make it possible to monitor the progress achieved by MemberStates. Major areas where we broke new ground include our proposals to end State guarantees for publicbanks in Germany, the launching of a wide-ranging investigation into the effects of aid in the form offiscal measures, and our decisions on stranded costs in the electricity sector.In the light of ftese developments, it is particularly important for me as Member of the European Commissionwith special responsibility for competition to explain the benefits of competition policy and the relevant workof the Commission. This annual report is a good opportunity to look back critically at what we have achieved,to draw conclusions for future action and to veri$ whether our action is in line with our objective. |
