Analytical examination of the acquis

CHAPTER 08 - Competition Policy

Annotated Agenda for the Explanatory Screening

08-09.11.2005

Day 1

9.30:

A. Introductory Remarks

B. State aid

9.50:

I. TREATY PROVISIONS (Ansgar Held)

Articles 87, 88

10.10:

II. GENERAL PROCEDURAL RULES

1. Procedural regulations

• Council Regulation (EC) No 659/1999 of 22 March 1999 laying down detailed rules for the application of Article 93 of the EC Treaty (31999R0659) (Koen van de Casteele)
• Commission Regulation (EC) No 794/2004 of 21 April 2004 implementing Council Regulation (EC) No 659/1999 laying down detailed rules for the application of Article 93 of the EC Treaty (32004R0794) (Koen van de Casteele)

2. Reference/discount rates and recovery interest rates 

Commission communication on the interest rates to be applied when aid granted unlawfully is being recovered (52003XC0508(07)) (52003XC0508(07)R(01)) (Koen van de Casteele)

10.30:

III. FINANCIAL TRANSFERS AND TRANSACTIONS

1. Financial Transfers to public enterprices (Fernando Sendra Palmer)
2. State Guarantees (Fernando Sendra Palmer)

Commission communication concerning aid elements in land sales by public authorities (31997Y0710(01)) (Fernando Sendra Palmer) 

4. Export Credit Insurance

Communication of the Commission to Member States on the application of Articles 92 and 93 of the Treaty to short-term export-credit insurance (31997Y0971(01)) (52001XC0802(01)) (52004XC1211(03)) (Johannes Gorkos)

5. Fiscal aid - Direct Business Taxation

Commission notice on the application of the State aid rules to measures relating to direct business taxation (31998Y1210(01)) (Mehdi Hocine)

11.30-11.45 Coffee Break

11.45:

IV. RULES ON THE ASSESSMENT OF STATE AID WITH HORIZONTAL OBJECTIVES

• Block exemption regulation on de minimis aid (32001R0069) (32004R1860) (Annette Matthias-Werner)

• Block exemption regulation on training aid (32001R0068) (32004R0363) (Annette Matthias-Werner)
• Block exemption regulation on aid to small and medium sized enterprises  (32001R0070) (32004R1595) (Annette Matthias-Werner)
• Block exemption regulation on employment aid (32002R2204) (Annette Matthias-Werner)
• Community framework for State aid for Research and Development (32004R0364) (Renate Repplinger-Hach / Annette Matthias-Werner/ Volker Zuleger))

• Community guidelines on State Aid for Environmental protection. (31994Y0310(01)) (32000Y0119(01)) (32001Y0203(02)) Anne Theo Seinen)
• Commission communication on State aid and risk capital (52001XC0821(01)) Volker Zueger)

12.10:

V. RULES ON THE ASSESSMENT FOR APPROVAL OF REGIONAL AID

• Guidelines on national regional aid (31998Y0310(01)) (32000Y0909(06)) (52003XC0508(08))(Paraskevi Papantoniou)
• Multisectoral framework on regional aid for large investment projects (31998Y0407(01)) (52001XC1222(02)) (52001XC0811(01)) (52002XC0319(03)) (52003XC1101(02)) (Paraskevi Papantoniou)

12.30:

VI. RESCUE AND RESTRUCTURING AID

• Community guidelines on State aid for rescuing and restructuring firms in difficulty (52004XC1001(01)) (Max Lienemeyer)
• Rescue and restructuring aid and closure aid for the steel sector (52002XC0319(04)) (Max Lienemeyer)

13.00-14.30: Lunch Break

14.30:

VII. RULES ON THE ASSESSMENT OF SERVICES OF GENERAL ECONOMIC INTEREST :

• Articles 86, 16 EC Treaty (Lars Svane)
• Commission Decision on the application of Article 86(2) of the Treaty to State aid in the form of public service compensation granted to certain undertakings entrusted with the operation of services of general economic interest(Lars Svane)
• Community Framework for State Aid in the form of public service compensation(Lars Svane)

15.30-15:45 Cofee Break

15:45

VIII. RULES ON THE ASSESSMENT FOR APPROVAL OF AID TO PARTICULAR SECTORS

1. Shipbuilding  (Andrea Cierna)

• Framework on State aid to shipbuilding (52003XC1230(01)) (Andrea Cierna)
• Council Regulation (EC) No 1177/2002 and No 502/2004 concerning a temporary defensive mechanism to shipbuilding (32002R1177) (32004R0502) (Andrea Cierna)

2. Postal Services (Bernadette Frederic)

Notice from the Commission on the application of the competition rules to the postal sector (31998Y0206(01))

3. Broadcasting (Alexandra Antoniadis)

Communication from the Commission on the application of State aid rules to public service broadcasting  (52001XC1115(01))

4. Audiovisual production (Irina Orssich)

Communication from the Commission on certain legal aspects relating to cinematographic and other audiovisual works (52001DC0534) (52004DC0171)

Day 2

State aid continued, if necessary!

9.30:

C. Antitrust (restrictive agreements, dominant positions, concentrations) (Ansgar Held)

I. Antitrust rules in the EC Treaty

Articles 81 and 82 of the EC Treaty

9.50:

II. Procedural Rules

• Council Regulation No 1/2003 of 16 December 2002 on the implementation of the rules on competition laid down in Articles 81 and 82 of the Treaty (32003R0001) (Dalheimer)
• Commission Regulation No 773/2004 of 7 April 2004 relating to the conduct of proceedings by the Commission pursuant to Articles 81 and 82 of the EC Treaty (32004R0773) (Dalheimer)

• Fines and immunity from fines and reduction of fines in cartel cases (31998Y0114(01)) (52002XC0219(02))(Hubert de Broca)

10.30:

III. Substantive rules

1. Notices of a general nature (Ansger Held)

• Commission Notice on agreements of minor importance which do not appreciably restrict competition under Article 81(1) of the Treaty establishing the European Community (de minimis) (52001XC1222(03))
• Commission Notice on the definition of relevant market for the purposes of Community competition law (31997Y1209(01))

• Guidelines on the effect on trade concept contained in Articles 81 and 82 of the Treaty (52004XC0427(06))
• Guidelines on the application of Article 81(3) of the Treaty (52004XC0427(07))

11.00- 11.15: Coffee Break

11.15:

2. Horizontal co-operation agreements:

• Commission Regulation on the application of Article 81(3) of the Treaty to categories of specialisation agreements (32000R2658) (Ansger Held)
• Commission Regulation on the application of Article 81(3) of the Treaty to categories of research and development agreements (32000R2659)
• Commission Notice Guidelines on the applicability of Article 81 of the EC Treaty to horizontal cooperation agreements (32001Y0106(01))

3. Vertical agreements

• Commission Regulation and guidelines on the application of Article 81(3) of the Treaty to categories of vertical agreements and concerted practices (31999R2790) (32000Y1013(01)) (Ansgar Held)

11.20:

• Commission Regulation on the application of Article 81(3) of the Treaty to categories of vertical agreements and concerted practices in the motor vehicle sector (32002R1400) (Christoph Dussart or Bertrand Saint Aubin)

11.40:

4. Transfer of technology agreements

Commission Regulation and Guidelines on the application of Article 81(3) of the Treaty to categories of technology transfer agreements (32004R0772) (52004XC0427(01)) (Ansgar Held)

IV. Sector specific rules

11.45:

1. Insurance

Commission Regulation on the application of Article 81(3) of the Treaty to certain categories of agreements, decisions and concerted practices in the insurance sector (32003R0358) (Ansgar Held)

11.50:

2. Transport

Transport by rail, road and inland waterway

• Regulation No 1017/68 of the Council of 19 July 1968 applying rules of competition to transport by rail, road and inland waterway (31968R1017) (Thomas Kaufmann)

Maritime transport

• Council Regulation laying down detailed rules for the application of Articles 81 and 82 of the Treaty to maritime transport (31986R4056)(Johannes Gorkos)
• Commission Regulation on the application of Article 81(3) of the Treaty to certain categories of agreements, decisions and concerted practices between liner shipping companies (consortia) (32000R0823) (32004R0463)

Air transport (Sofia Alves)

Commission Regulation on the application of Article 81 (3) of the Treaty to certain categories of agreements and concerted practices concerning joint planning and coordination of schedules, joint operations, consultations on passenger and cargo tariffs on scheduled air services and slot allocation at airports (31993R1617) (31993R1617R(01)) (31996R1523) (31999R1083)

12.15:

3. Telecommunication (will be dealt with in detail in the context of the screening of the telecommunication rules): (Johannes Gorkos)

Commission Directive 2002/77/EC of 16 September 2002 on competition in the markets for electronic communications networks and services and relevant guidelines, communications and notices (31998Y0822(01)) (32000Y0923(02)) (32002L0077) (51991XC0906(02))

4. Postal services (will be dealt with in detail in the context of the screening of chapter 3)(Johannes Gorkos)

Notice from the Commission on the application of the competition rules to the postal sector and on the assessment of certain State measures relating to postal services (31998Y0206(01))

5.  Agriculture (Johannes Gorkos)

Council Regulation No 26/62 applying certain rules of competition to production of and trade in agricultural products (31962R0026)

12.30:

V. Article 86 (MONIQUE NEGENMAN)

13.00-14.30: Lunch Break

14.30:

VI. Merger Control (Marưo todưno)

1. Framework Legislation

Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 of 20 January 2004 on the control of concentrations between undertakings (the EC Merger Regulation) (32004R0139)(Mario Todino)

2. Implementing Rules

Commission Regulation (EC) No 802/2004 of 7 April 2004 implementing Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004, OJ L 133/1, 30 April 2004. (32004R0802) (Morino Todino)

3. Notices and Guidelines (Morino Todino)

• Guidelines on the assessment of horizontal mergers under the Council Regulation on the control of concentrations between undertakings (52004XC0205(02))
• Commission Notice on a simplified procedure for treatment of certain concentrations under Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (52005XC0305(03))
• Commission Notice on restrictions directly related and necessary to concentrations (52005XC0305(02))
• Commission Notice on the definition of the relevant market (31997Y1209(01))
• Commission Notice on remedies (52001XC0302(01))
• Commission Notice on the concept of concentration (31998Y0302(02))
• Commission Notice on the concept of full-function joint ventures (31998Y0302(01))
• Commission Notice on the concept of undertakings concerned (31998Y0302(03))
• Commission Notice on calculation of turnover (31998Y0302)

15.30:

D. National Trading Monopolies (Article 31 EC) (Ansgar HELD)

Table listing the precise parts of Eur-Lex Directory of Community legislation in force :

http://europa.eu.int/eur-lex/lex/en/repert/index_08.htm

Other information sources :

• Eur-Lex search interface for documents with a Celex number (e.g.: ‘31987D0305’)

       http://europa.eu.int/eur-lex/lex/RECH_celex.do

• Documents mentioned in the Annotated Agenda without a Celex number:

             http://europa.eu.int/comm/internal_market/publicprocurement/index_en.htm

• Direct access to the Official Journal from 1998 onwards:

       http://europa.eu.int/eur-lex/lex/JOIndex.do?ihmlang=en

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