Title: Competition aspects of the Lisbon and Europe 2020 Strategies
Abstract: This paper analyses the implementation of EU competition policy within the Lisbon Strategy by focusing on the prevention techniques and sanctioning mechanisms developed within this domain, the level of openness of the market in general, services liberalization and the role of consumer preferences in determining market competition. In order to elaborate this, the paper is divided into three parts. The first section deals with the position of competition policy within the Lisbon Strategy and the forthcoming Europe 2020 strategy. In the Lisbon Strategy this issue has been embodied in Integrated Guideline No 13 which aimed to achieve open, competitive markets both inside and outside Europe in order to fully use the benefits of globalization. In the Europe 2020 strategy competition policy is addressed in Integrated Guideline No. 6 arguing for a better business and consumer environment, the modernization of the industrial base, the continuation of services liberalization and the tackling of market distortions. Europe 2020 also envisages a further decrease in state aid. The second section describes the reforms in Romania and Bulgaria that have been implemented within the Lisbon Strategy by focusing on the sectors of state aid, energy services and railway transport in the former and the overall implementation of controlling and sanctioning mechanisms in the latter. Finally, in its third section the paper deals with competition policy in Croatia and the necessary adjustments that will have to be made as part of EU accession, such as, for example, a move towards horizontal state aid that aims to increase the competitiveness of viable economic fields. Other reforms to be implemented in Croatia deal with the reduction of administrative barriers and further liberalization of the services sector.
Publication Year: 2010
Publication Date: 2010-01-01
Language: en
Type: article
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