Competition stimulates the food sector: Report by the European Competition Network

The European competition authorities have published a report on competition in the food sector in Europe. The report gives an account of all the examinations and proceedings conducted by the 27 national competition authorities and the European Commission in this sector. In the period from 2004 to 2011, the authorities examined more than 180 antitrust cases and almost 1,300 mergers and carried out over 100 market monitoring measures such as e.g. sector inquiries.

Andreas Mundt, President of the Bundeskartellamt, stated: "The competition authorities have made a big difference in the European food sector in recent years. Protecting effective competition is the best way to serve the interests of market participants and end consumers. Competition should therefore not be impaired by special regulations. I'm thinking here, for example, about the EU milk regulation which allows producer organisations to collectively negotiate prices for up to 33% of the milk volume produced within a member state."

You will find the European Commission's press release and the full report at the following website: http://ec.europa.eu/competition/ecn/documents.html.