Activities of Ramon TREMOSA i BALCELLS related to 2014/2158(INI)
Plenary speeches (3)
Annual report on EU competition policy (A8-0019/2015 - Morten Messerschmidt)
Annual report on EU competition policy (debate)
Annual report on EU competition policy (debate)
Shadow reports (1)
REPORT on the Annual Report on EU Competition Policy PDF (214 KB) DOC (151 KB)
Amendments (66)
Amendment 30 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A a (new)
Recital A a (new)
Aa. Believes that competition policy is a driver of economic growth and job creation, especially in crisis times;
Amendment 31 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A b (new)
Recital A b (new)
Ab. Agrees therefore with the Commission that the crisis should not be a pretext to relax the enforcement of competition rules;
Amendment 32 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A c (new)
Recital A c (new)
Ac. whereas by triggering a misallocation of resources, lack of competition may therefore imply less economic benefits to be divided between sellers and buyers;
Amendment 33 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A d (new)
Recital A d (new)
Ad. whereas competition raises companies’ productivity, by raising managers’ incentives to out-perform competitors and, therefore, is often associated with higher levels of total factor productivity;
Amendment 39 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B a (new)
Recital B a (new)
Ba. whereas each year losses of EUR 181- 320 billion – approximately 3 % of EU GDP – accrue owing to the existence of cartels;
Amendment 40 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B b (new)
Recital B b (new)
Bb. whereas the equivalent of EUR 1.6 trillion was granted in State aid to banks in the EU in the period 2008 until the end of 2011;
Amendment 41 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B c (new)
Recital B c (new)
Bc. whereas tax evasion, tax fraud and tax havens are costing the EU taxpayers an estimated 1 trillion euros per year in lost revenue, distorting competition in the single market between those companies who pay taxes and those who do not;
Amendment 44 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)
Recital C a (new)
Ca. whereas in terms of energy costs the European single market performs worse than the US, with a price dispersion of 31 percent compared to 22 percent in the US;
Amendment 45 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C b (new)
Recital C b (new)
Cb. whereas the creation of a ‘single market administration passport’ would reduce distortions in competition and the fragmentation of the single market, enhancing the growth potential of the European economy;
Amendment 54 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D a (new)
Recital D a (new)
Da. whereas in many Member States a severe credit crunch is affecting SMEs, which represent 98% of the EU firms;
Amendment 55 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D b (new)
Recital D b (new)
Db. whereas uncovered cartels’ duration fluctuates between 6 to 14 years from their commencement affecting the economy with a higher burden on customers and ultimately on consumers;
Amendment 56 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D c (new)
Recital D c (new)
Amendment 57 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D d (new)
Recital D d (new)
Dd. Welcomes the EU unitary patent as a step forward to complete the single market and calls on all Member States to participate in it;
Amendment 58 #
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 1 a (new)
Subheading 1 a (new)
Believes that the independence of DG Competition is of the uttermost importance to achieve its goals in a successful manner.
Amendment 62 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Highlights the essential role of competition policy enforcement in productivity and innovation, creating a level playing field across the single market and across all business models, including SMEs, in full respect of national diversities;
Amendment 90 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Notes that the European Commission relies increasingly on commitment decisions. Believes that more transparency on the substance of allegations, and the establishment of a higher number of legal precedents, are however necessary. This applies in particular to cases that tackle antitrust issues in new areas, such as markets for digital goods, in which companies might find it difficult to assess if a certain behaviour constitutes a violation of competition rules;
Amendment 91 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 b (new)
Paragraph 3 b (new)
3b. Believes that in order to ensure greater transparency and mitigate some of the drawbacks of commitment decisions, while retaining their main benefits, the full detail of the objections addressed by the European Commission to defendants should be published;
Amendment 108 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Believes that further investigation should be given to sports clubs (particularly in football) who owe millionary sums to social security without paying them or be reclaimed by government, as de facto this may constitute state aid;
Amendment 115 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Reiterates its concern that the use of fines as the sole sanction available may be too limited, even though the fines imposed in the lasts years appear minimal in comparison with the harm caused to the European economy by collusion; calls again for the development of more sophisticated instruments; invites the Commission to consider a general review of its 2006 Fining Guidelines;
Amendment 117 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8a. Stresses that imposing fines is an important tool for competition policy and that quick action is needed for the success of investigations; believes that legal certainty is crucial, and calls on the Commission to incorporate the rules on fines into a legislative instrument;
Amendment 118 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 b (new)
Paragraph 8 b (new)
8b. Calls the Commission to consider the possibility to complement cartel fines with personal sanctions aimed at company decision makers, as well as individual penalties for those employees responsible for actually leading their company to commit a violation of competition law. The Commission should, thus, be able to impose measures such as director disqualifications or personal pecuniary sanctions when necessary;
Amendment 119 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 c (new)
Paragraph 8 c (new)
8c. Calls for the creation of special cross- DG taskforces envisaged to monitor sectors in which structural features (such as high barriers to entry or high customer switching costs) make antitrust violations more likely;
Amendment 120 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 d (new)
Paragraph 8 d (new)
8d. Calls the Commission to help to put in place an institutional mechanism that each time that a national authority takes an antitrust decision, an automatic follow-up check where the Commission would survey if similar issues affect different geographic markets throughout Europe where the sanctioned companies are also active;
Amendment 121 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 e (new)
Paragraph 8 e (new)
8e. Supports the ongoing cooperation within the European Competition Network (ECN) which allows EU-wide coherence of public enforcement of competition rules and encourages its further development;
Amendment 136 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 g (new)
Paragraph 9 g (new)
9g. Takes the view that market dominance achieved by means of expansion, innovation and success is not in itself a competition problem; regards the abuse of a dominant market position, conversely, as a serious competition problem; calls on the Commission, therefore, to continue to safeguard the impartiality and objectivity of competition-related proceedings;
Amendment 137 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 h (new)
Paragraph 9 h (new)
9h. Calls on the Commission determinedly to address all the matters brought to light in current anti-trust law investigations and to take any measures required to put an end to damaging practices and restore fair competition;
Amendment 139 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)
Paragraph 10 a (new)
10a. Believes that merger control should be able to take into account in its analysis if there may be negative spill- overs in terms of work-force lay-offs;
Amendment 140 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 b (new)
Paragraph 10 b (new)
10b. Calls the Commission to be attentive to those cases where just after a merger is cleared, consumer prices rise or there is a relevant reduction of a product’s quality;
Amendment 160 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)
Paragraph 12 a (new)
12a. Underlines that the fall of wholesale prices (oil prices in particular) have not been translated into a reduction in the energy element of retail consumer prices and believes that high levels of market concentration undermine competition, as well as universal retail price regulation;
Amendment 161 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 b (new)
Paragraph 12 b (new)
12b. Believes that the Commission needs to be strict with the introduction of energy market reforms to reduce its prices, particularly in those Member States under the excessive deficit procedure;
Amendment 162 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 c (new)
Paragraph 12 c (new)
12c. Calls the Commission to investigate if there is any kind of relationship between a high presence of politicians and former ministers in the governing boards of energy companies, and oligopolistic practices in the energy sector in some Member States;
Amendment 163 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 d (new)
Paragraph 12 d (new)
12d. Asks the Commission to ensure that energy regulations and directives are transposed and applied correctly in all Member States; calls on the Commission to be particularly vigilant when prices reach above the EU-average, as high prices distort competition and harm consumers;
Amendment 177 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 a (new)
Paragraph 13 a (new)
13a. Recalls that net neutrality is of the uttermost importance to ensure that there is no discrimination between internet services and competition is fully guaranteed;
Amendment 178 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 b (new)
Paragraph 13 b (new)
13b. Welcomes the announcement by the Commissioner for competition of further investigations by the European Commission into Google’s anticompetitive practices in the mobile sector and in the digital market in general;
Amendment 179 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 c (new)
Paragraph 13 c (new)
13c. Considers that throughout the past four years of negotiations between the European Commission and Google none of the three sets of commitment proposals from Google has succeeded to solve the main competition concern – the anti- competitive preferential treatment of own services within Google’s market dominant search engine thereby causing a traffic diversion away from rival verticals; believes that carrying on this route would further increase the caused damages;
Amendment 180 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 d (new)
Paragraph 13 d (new)
13d. Stresses the need for the European Commission to urgently solve the Google Antitrust case if it wants to remain credible in its Digital agenda strategy; urges the Commission to act decisively on all concerns that have been identified, and, as a priority, to take all the necessary measures to ensure fair competition in the online search and search advertising markets, given dominance of certain actor, and the possible abuse of this dominance calls on the European Commission and the Members States to take stronger measures against such abuses in the fast moving and dynamic digital market both on the national and European level;
Amendment 181 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 e (new)
Paragraph 13 e (new)
13e. Urges the Commission to act decisively on all concerns that have been identified, and, as a priority, to take all the necessary measures to ensure fair competition in the online search and search advertising markets, given Google’s growing dominance, with a market share of over 90 % in most Member States, Google has become de facto gatekeeper to the internet. Its persistent abuse of this dominance requires a decisive enforcement of EU competition rules, taking into account input from all relevant stakeholders and the entire structure of the Digital Single Market;
Amendment 182 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 f (new)
Paragraph 13 f (new)
13f. Stresses the need for the European Commission to urgently solve the Google Antitrust case if it wants to remain credible in its Digital agenda strategy; urges the Commission to act decisively on all concerns that have been identified, and, as a priority, to take all the necessary measures to ensure fair competition in the online search and search advertising markets, given dominance of certain actor, and the possible abuse of this dominance calls on the European Commission and the Members States to take stronger measures against such abuses in the fast moving and dynamic digital market both on the national and European level;
Amendment 183 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 g (new)
Paragraph 13 g (new)
13g. Calls the Commission to launch an investigation on the ridesharing companies to ensure that their practices are not distortions competition in the market;
Amendment 184 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 g (new)
Paragraph 13 g (new)
13g. Calls for the Commission to analyse how to accommodate into the European legislation the rise of the sharing economy and believes that it should be adapted, in order to have level-playing field that ensures fair competition among all actors involved;
Amendment 185 #
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 6 a (new)
Subheading 6 a (new)
Believes that companies related to the so- called sharing economy have to pay taxes and comply with regulations in the same way as traditional businesses, as otherwise it would not only constitute a distortion in competition, but also would have negative fiscal consequences for the finances of Member States.
Amendment 186 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 i (new)
Paragraph 13 i (new)
13i. Calls on the Commission to act quickly against Google and carefully consider and evaluate the following proposals of remedies in view of a long- term solution towards a balance, fair and open internet search structure: - ‘Rotation mechanism’ pursuant to which Google’s and competing verticals would be displayed in the same location and with the same prominence on the search results page; - a new legislation to regulate search engines; - The Statement of objections decision and the threat of a fine
Amendment 187 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 j (new)
Paragraph 13 j (new)
13j. Highlights that effective scrutiny of the behaviour of dominant firms, as well as quick reaction in case of abuses, is particularly important, since illegal practices may cause the early exit from the market of small and innovative competitors;
Amendment 188 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 k (new)
Paragraph 13 k (new)
13k. Notes that lack of regulation in the sharing economy, gives some companies an unfair advantage, while at the same time decreases incentives for investment in those sectors concerned;
Amendment 192 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)
Paragraph 14 a (new)
14a. Acknowledges the important role played by State aid control since the beginning of the crisis as a restructuring and resolution mechanism for distressed banks;
Amendment 193 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 b (new)
Paragraph 14 b (new)
14b. Believes that the Commission should consider the possibility for state aid to banks to be linked to conditionality on credit to SMEs;
Amendment 194 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 c (new)
Paragraph 14 c (new)
Amendment 195 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 d (new)
Paragraph 14 d (new)
14d. Believes that State aid control during the crisis should focus both on stabilising the banking system and on tackling unfair segmentation of the credit conditions and discrimination of SMEs in the single market;
Amendment 196 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 e (new)
Paragraph 14 e (new)
14e. Urges the Commission to monitor closely those markets in the banking sector where concentration is high or growing, in particular as a result of restructuring in response to the crisis; recalls that oligopolistic markets are particularly prone to anticompetitive practices; fears that this concentration may ultimately harm consumers;
Amendment 197 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 f (new)
Paragraph 14 f (new)
14f. Urges the Commission to make sure that banks, before they receive any State aid, sell their stakes in other companies, thereby reducing the burden for the taxpayer;
Amendment 198 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 g (new)
Paragraph 14 g (new)
14g. Calls the Commission to follow closely the conditions to be proposed by the ECB to give new banking licenses to ensure that creates a level playing field without high barriers of entrance to the market. Strongly believes that given the high concentration in the banking sector of some Member States, a higher number of banking entities would be good for consumers and SMEs;
Amendment 222 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Recognises the need in the transport sector forCalls on the Commission and the Member States to ensure a level playing field which allows free but also fair competition in all transport modes;
Amendment 227 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)
Paragraph 19 a (new)
19a. Believes that the Commission should further strengthen the links between competition policy and transport policy to improve the competitiveness of the European transport sector;
Amendment 228 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 b (new)
Paragraph 19 b (new)
19b. Calls on the Commission and the Members States to increase their efforts in order to guarantee the opening of the railway transport sector to fair competition, as well as a better quality of services;
Amendment 229 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 c (new)
Paragraph 19 c (new)
19c. Calls on the Commission to open up competition in those Member States that have port and airport public networks, particularly if their management is monopolised by the central government or if they persistently generate public deficits;
Amendment 230 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 d (new)
Paragraph 19 d (new)
19d. Urges the Commission to complete the implementation of the Single European Railway Area, ensure full transparency in the flows of money between infrastructures managers and railway undertakings, and verify that each Member State has a strong and independent national regulator;
Amendment 231 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 e (new)
Paragraph 19 e (new)
19e. Stresses that the single market in the rail freight sector is affected by incorrect or incomplete transposition of EU law by Member States and by bottlenecks to cross-border mobility that harm competition and growth; calls on the Commission to verify whether technical or market barriers that differ from one Member States to another, such as track gauges, energy supply and signalling systems, can be considered infringements of competition rules;
Amendment 232 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 f (new)
Paragraph 19 f (new)
19f. Invites the Commission to provide a justified overview to ascertain which air carriers benefit from advantages over other service providers through special conditions or alleged abuses of their dominant position in certain airports;
Amendment 233 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 g (new)
Paragraph 19 g (new)
19g. Encourages the Commission to investigate whether certain practices with regard to the imposition of specific hub airports – based on the terms of the over 1000 bilateral air services agreements signed by Member States with non-EU countries – are detrimental to fair competition between carriers and airports, and are against European consumers’ interests;
Amendment 239 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 a (new)
Paragraph 20 a (new)
20a. Calls the Commission to take action in order to reduce fragmentation in the rent-a-car sector, as currently national regulations greatly increase the costs for trans-border movements, damaging thus the single market;
Amendment 255 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Highlights the fact that the Framework Agreement provides for equal treatment of Parliament and the Council regarding access to meetings and the provision of information in the preparation of legislation or soft law in the field of competition policy;
Amendment 262 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 a (new)
Paragraph 24 a (new)
24a. Considers that it should have co- decision powers in competition policy; regrets that Articles 103 and 109 TFEU provide only for consultation of Parliament; believes that this democratic deficit cannot be tolerated; proposes that this deficit be overcome as soon as possible through interinstitutional arrangements in the field of competition policy and corrected in the next Treaty change;
Amendment 268 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 a (new)
Paragraph 26 a (new)
26a. Calls the Commission to fully investigate if the use of tax ruling as unveiled by the LuxLeaks case constitutes a form of illegal state aid and if this is an existing situation in other Member States;
Amendment 269 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 b (new)
Paragraph 26 b (new)
26b. Hopes that in order to ensure that the investigation on the LuxLeaks case is perceived as neutral by the European public, the President of the Commission should recuse himself from taking part into the final decision of the Commission regarding the legality of the tax rulings, avoiding any kind of conflict of interests;
Amendment 270 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 c (new)
Paragraph 26 c (new)
26c. Whereas the massive avoidance of taxes by some enterprises distorts competition in the single market;
Amendment 271 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 d (new)
Paragraph 26 d (new)
26d. Believes that the Commission should propose a convergence code with tax ranges that would avoid extreme cases, as well as increase efforts to introduce the Common Corporate Consolidated Tax Base. Moreover, a country-by country compulsory reporting should be imposed in all multinational companies. These measures would ensure tax competition among Member States and at the same time create a level-playing field for all European enterprises;