14 Amendments of Markus FERBER related to 2015/2140(INI)
Amendment 20 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)
Recital C a (new)
Ca. whereas the independence of national competition authorities is of paramount importance;
Amendment 32 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D a (new)
Recital D a (new)
Da. whereas, given the challenges of the digital age, the existing competition law instruments need to be fundamentally reviewed;
Amendment 54 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Stresses that a successful competition policy must not be directed exclusively towards bringing down prices for consumers, but must also be mindful of the innovativeness and investment activity of the European economy and special competitive conditions for small and medium-sized businesses;
Amendment 81 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Maintains that international cooperation is essential for the effective application of competition-law principles in the era of globalisation; calls on the Commission, therefore, to foster closer international cooperation on competition- related matters; stresses that competition- law agreements allowing information to be exchanged between investigating competition authorities could make a particularly effective contribution to international cooperation on competition- related matters;
Amendment 117 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Notes that the original market models of the competition policy are frequently inappropriate for the digital economy, and the use of price-based indicators in this dynamic economic sector often fails to achieve the desired outcome, since the great importance of data is not taken sufficiently into account;
Amendment 125 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Queries the long duration of the investigations into American Internet giant Google and regrets the fact that these investigations have already dragged on for several years with no result, because until 2014 the Commission was reluctant to indicate its intention to abolish market restrictions; points out that when proceedings take so long, especially where dynamic markets are concerned, the end effect can amount to de facto market cleansing;
Amendment 179 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Notes that, in the digital economy, in the past assessment of mergers and takeovers has been predominantly on the basis of the turnover of the businesses in question, which is inadequate because businesses with low turnovers and substantial start-up losses may also have a large customer base, with data sets to match, and significant market strength, as the Commission’s unconditional approval of the takeover of WhatsApp by Facebook proves;
Amendment 183 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Considers that particularly in the digital economy additional new criteria must be introduced in assessing mergers, such as the purchase price, possible market entry barriers an, the vital importance of data, platform specifications and the associated network effects; Calls on the Commission to give particular consideration to the commercial model of businesses in the digital economy and possible market entry barriers; these include factors such as the scope for switching between platforms and data portability;
Amendment 188 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 a (new)
Paragraph 18 a (new)
18a. Expresses concern that too often a narrowly national approach is taken to the issue of market protection, which fails to take proper account of the aspect of the international competitiveness of European undertakings;
Amendment 243 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Considers that healthy tax competition is one of the constitutive elements of the internal market of the Union but unfair tax competition must be prevented through minimum rates of taxation and, harmonised tax bases and exchanges of information between tax authorities;
Amendment 251 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 a (new)
Paragraph 22 a (new)
22a. Emphasises that the Commission must as a matter of course have access to data exchanged between tax authorities which are relevant in the context of competition law;
Amendment 292 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27 a (new)
Paragraph 27 a (new)
27a. Emphasises that the work on the Directive on Damages Claims can provide a template for future interinstitutional cooperation in competition matters;
Amendment 294 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27 b (new)
Paragraph 27 b (new)
27b. Calls on the Commissioner to continue the dialogue begun with the relevant Parliament committees and with the Competition Working Group of Parliament’s Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs;
Amendment 301 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29 a (new)
Paragraph 29 a (new)
29a. Emphasises that in its future work the Commission’s DG Competition should take proper account of the standpoints adopted by Parliament in past reports on competition policy;