13/08/2001
Minister announces two annual business reports
Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Mary Harney has announced two annual reports, one on competition and the other on mergers.
Commenting on the Annual Report of the Competition Authority for 2000, she said: "The Authority engaged in a sustained level of enforcement activity during 2000 involving a number of investigations and legal actions against alleged anti-competitive practices.
“The investigation of alleged price fixing and other cartel type practices is a top priority for the Authority as such practices are designed to increase prices for consumers and to impose unnecessary costs on the economy.
“The message to business is that such practices represent serious breaches of competition law, are simply not acceptable and in all cases where it has evidence of cartel type behaviour the Authority will bring proceedings."
The Tánaiste noted that the capacity of the Competition Authority to investigate and act against these activities had been greatly enhanced in recent months with the creation of 15 new posts. She revealed that this represented a doubling of the staffing levels, and was an indication of the high priority government attached to promoting competition.
Ms Harney added that during 2000, the Authority recorded the first criminal prosecution under the Competition Acts for price fixing. It also took court action in connection with a blockade of a dairy in Co. Donegal and has a number of other legal proceedings pending.
The second report, the Annual Report of her Department on the Control of Mergers for 2000, noted that the level of mergers and takeovers continued to increase in 2000.
The Tánaiste said that 105 proposals were approved during 2000, up from 100 approved during 1999. These included seven proposals involving newspapers.
One merger proposal referred to the Competition Authority, involved a proposed acquisition by Golden Vale, but this proposal was subsequently withdrawn. (SP)
Commenting on the Annual Report of the Competition Authority for 2000, she said: "The Authority engaged in a sustained level of enforcement activity during 2000 involving a number of investigations and legal actions against alleged anti-competitive practices.
“The investigation of alleged price fixing and other cartel type practices is a top priority for the Authority as such practices are designed to increase prices for consumers and to impose unnecessary costs on the economy.
“The message to business is that such practices represent serious breaches of competition law, are simply not acceptable and in all cases where it has evidence of cartel type behaviour the Authority will bring proceedings."
The Tánaiste noted that the capacity of the Competition Authority to investigate and act against these activities had been greatly enhanced in recent months with the creation of 15 new posts. She revealed that this represented a doubling of the staffing levels, and was an indication of the high priority government attached to promoting competition.
Ms Harney added that during 2000, the Authority recorded the first criminal prosecution under the Competition Acts for price fixing. It also took court action in connection with a blockade of a dairy in Co. Donegal and has a number of other legal proceedings pending.
The second report, the Annual Report of her Department on the Control of Mergers for 2000, noted that the level of mergers and takeovers continued to increase in 2000.
The Tánaiste said that 105 proposals were approved during 2000, up from 100 approved during 1999. These included seven proposals involving newspapers.
One merger proposal referred to the Competition Authority, involved a proposed acquisition by Golden Vale, but this proposal was subsequently withdrawn. (SP)
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