European Commission White Paper on the modernization of the rules implementing articles 85 and 86 of the EC Treaty
Publication date : 29/09/1999 | Document Number : 225/535
The White Paper has met with considerable interest and received a cautious and, from some, a very reluctant welcome. Some reject it outright, none support it without qualifications.
Summary of ICC position
There are some who think that the old system could be improved through better use of existing and the provision of new resources, but they are a minority.
The rationale of the proposals is well understood, but there is a strong feeling that their implementation may lead to a situation which could be unsatisfactory in other ways.
Some also feel that the proposals are so far-reaching as to necessitate a change of the EU Treaty instead of a mere passing of regulations.
The present regime has been much criticized, and the European Commission is not entirely without blame in bringing about this state of affairs.
Lack of resources has been a problem, but also the wide interpretation of Article 81.
This left companies with little choice but to notify a great number of agreements, thus aggravating the workload of DG IV.