European Commissioner for Competition

Member of the EU Commission

European Commissioner
for Competition

Flag of the EU

Incumbent
Teresa Ribera

since 1 December 2024

Member of| the European Commission
Reports to| President of the European Commission
Term length| 5 years
Formation| 7 January 1958; 67 years ago (1958-01-07)
First holder| Hans von der Groeben
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Politics of the European Union

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* * *

Opt-outs

* * *

Treaties of accession

1972, 1979, 1985, 1994, 2003, 2005, 2011

* * *

Treaties of succession

1984, 2020

* * *

Other treaties

* Schengen Agreement (1985)
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* * *

Abandoned treaties and agreements

* European Constitution (2004)
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Executive institutions

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* * *

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* * *

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* * *

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* * *

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* * *

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* * *

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Eurozone since 2015

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Schengen Area from January 2023

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* * *

Non-EU members

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* * *

Topics

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European Economic Area

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Foreign relations

High Representative

* Kaja Kallas

* * *

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* * *

Foreign relations of EU member states

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* Common Travel Area (Ireland)
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* * *

* G7
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Defunct bodies

* European Communities (1958–1993)

European Coal and Steel Community
European Economic Community
* European Community
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European Union portal

* Other countries

* v
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* e

The Commissioner for Competition is the member of the European Commission responsible for competition. The current commissioner is Teresa Ribera (Spanish Socialist Workers' Party).

## Responsibilities

[edit]

The portfolio has responsibility for such matters as commercial competition, company mergers, cartels, state aid, and antitrust law. The position became the sole merger authority for the European Economic Area in September 1990.

The Competition Commissioner is one of the most powerful positions in the commission, and indeed the world, and is notable in affecting global regulatory practices in a phenomenon known as the Brussels effect.[1] For example, preventing the merger of two US companies, General Electric and Honeywell, in 2001.[2] In 2007, Neelie Kroes (then-Competition Commissioner) was the only Commissioner to make Forbes Magazine's List of The World's 100 Most Powerful Women; she held position 59.[3]

## Past commissioners

[edit]

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (August 2017)

|

### Mario Monti (1999–2004)

[edit]

Mario Monti is particularly notable for his ruling during the GE-Honeywell merger attempt in 2001. General Electric, a US company, sought to acquire another US company, Honeywell. This merger had been approved by US authorities, however Monti, with the backing of the rest of the commission, rejected the merger;[2]

> The merger between GE and Honeywell, as it was notified, would have severely reduced competition in the aerospace industry and resulted ultimately in higher prices for customers, particularly airlines. However, there were ways of eliminating these concerns and allowing the merger to proceed. I regret that the companies were not able to agree on a solution that would have met the Commission's competition concerns.

Rather than be blocked from the European market, the merger was abandoned. This was the first time that a merger between two US companies had been blocked solely by European authorities,[4] only the second time it had blocked just two US companies and only the 15th merger it had blocked ever since it started work.[2] On 1 May 2004 Monti oversaw a radical change in the Competition powers of the Commission concerning antitrust regulation, merger controls, licensing agreements and air transport.[5]

### Neelie Kroes (2004–10)

[edit]

During Neelie Kroes' hearing at the European Parliament, MEPs expressed concern about whether Ms Kroes had a sufficiently detailed grasp of certain specific subjects, but was approved as part of the Commission in 2004.

Since then she states that she promotes a fair and free business environment, achieving sustainable economic growth and higher employment. The commission has been involved in a number of high-profile cases fighting anticompetitive behaviour; such as the case against the merger of Sony – BMG, against Apple Inc. regarding iTunes[6] and the ongoing case against Microsoft.

The latter has been an ongoing dispute on a number of issues, in April 2007 Microsoft became the first company to refuse to comply with the Commissions rulings, in response Commissioner Kroes is looking at more harsher methods to gain the co-operation of companies; "We have never, ever before encountered a company that has refused to comply with commission decisions ... We learned we may have to look for a more effective remedy."[7] In September 2007, the Court of First Instance (EU's second highest court) upheld the commission's decision to fine Microsoft 497 million euro and its order for to Microsoft for it to share its information setting what the Commission described as an "important precedent". Kroes stated that "Today's court ruling…shows that the Commission was right to take its decision, and right to take firm action to enforce that decision". Either party may appeal to the European Court of Justice.[8] In response to the ruling the US Justice Departments top antitrust official, Thomas Barnett, criticised the ruling which sparked a response from Kroes stating that "It is totally unacceptable that a representative of the US administration criticises an independent court of law outside its jurisdiction ... It is absolutely not on. The European Commission does not pass judgement on rulings by US courts and we expect the same degree of respect from US authorities for rulings by EU courts."[9]

Kroes holds a strong belief in free market principles and was tough with offenders. By the time her term as Competition Commissioner ended, she had completed most major cases.[10]

### Joaquín Almunia (2010–14)

[edit]

Joaquín Almunia, previously the Finance Commissioner, took on the competition portfolio under the second Barroso Commission in 2010 and was expected to have a tenure similar to Kroes' stringent run.[10] His appointment was welcomed by competition lawyers as someone well qualified and experienced.[10] He also impressed Parliament at his hearing and early on in his work had to deal with whether or not to pursue action against Google.[11] He also come out in favour of the idea of a European Monetary Fund to deal with defaulting member states.[12]

### Margrethe Vestager (2014–2024)

[edit]

Margrethe Vestager was the European Commissioner responsible for Competition matters during the 2014–2024 period. She was part of both the Juncker and Von Der Leyen I college of Commissioners.[13]

Her two terms at the European Commission were marked by strong enforcement across the full spectrum of competition policy. The cases brought against the abuse of dominance by large digital companies,[14] as well as the Apple Tax case,[15] are among the most notable. To date, she did not lose a single case concerning abuses of dominance before the European Court of Justice.[16]

Her leadership obtained much praise,[17] as well as criticism.[18] Her enforcement record is mixed, with big wins and major losses before EU courts.[19]

### Teresa Ribera (since 2024)

[edit]

On 1 December 2024, Teresa Ribera was appointed First Executive Vice-President of the European Commission for Clean, Just and Competitive Transition and European Commissioner for Competition under the second Von der Leyen Commission.

## List of commissioners

[edit]

No. | Picture  | Commissioner for Competition | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Party | European | Country | Commission

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

| Groeben, HansHans von der Groeben
(1907–2005)| 7 January 1958| 2 July 1967| 9 years, 176 days| Independent|  | Independent| Germany, West West Germany| Hallstein I–II

| Sassen, MaanMaan Sassen
(1911–1995)| 30 June 1967| 30 June 1970| 3 years, 0 days| KVP|  | Independent|  Netherlands| Rey

| Borschette, AlbertAlbert Borschette
(1920–1976)| 1 July 1970| 20 July 1976| 6 years, 19 days| Independent|  | Independent|  Luxembourg| Malfatti
Mansholt
Ortoli

| Vouel, RaymondRaymond Vouel
(1923–1987)| 21 July 1976| 6 January 1981| 4 years, 170 days| LSAP|  | PES|  Luxembourg| Ortoli
Jenkins

| Andriessen, FransFrans Andriessen
(1929–2019)| 6 January 1981| 5 January 1985| 3 years, 365 days| KVP|  | EPP|  Netherlands| Thorn

| Sutherland, PeterPeter Sutherland
(1946–2018)| 7 January 1985| 5 January 1989| 4 years, 0 days| Fine Gael|  | EPP|  Ireland| Delors I

| Brittan, LeonLeon Brittan
(1939–2015)| 6 January 1989| 5 January 1993| 3 years, 365 days| Conservative|  | ED|  United Kingdom| Delors II

| Miert, KarelKarel Van Miert
(1942–2009)| 6 January 1993| 13 September 1999| 6 years, 250 days| sp.a|  | PES|  Belgium| Delors III
Santer

| Monti, MarioMario Monti
(born 1943)| 15 September 1999| 30 October 2004| 5 years, 45 days| Independent|  | Independent|  Italy| Prodi
10|

| Kroes, NeelieNeelie Kroes
(born 1941)| 22 November 2004| 9 February 2010| 5 years, 79 days| VVD|  | ELDR|  Netherlands| Barroso I
11|

| Almunia, JoaquínJoaquín Almunia
(born 1948)| 9 February 2010| 1 November 2014| 4 years, 265 days| PSOE|  | PES|  Spain| Barroso II
12|

| Vestager, MargretheMargrethe Vestager
(born 1968)| 1 November 2014| 30 November 2024| 10 years, 29 days| Social Liberals|  | ALDE|  Denmark| Juncker
Von der Leyen I
12|

| Ribera, TeresaTeresa Ribera
(born 1969)| 30 November 2024| Incumbent| 191 days| PSOE|  | PES|  Spain| Von der Leyen II

## See also

[edit]

* Directorate-General for Competition
* European Union competition law
* European Union v. Microsoft

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Lungescu, Oana (23 July 2004). "Examining the EU executive". BBC News. Retrieved 18 September 2007.
2. ^ a b c The Commission prohibits GE's acquisition of Honeywell Europa (web portal)
3. ^ 100 Most Powerful Women Archived 4 April 2008 at the Wayback Machine Forbes
4. ^ Honeywell CEO's job reported on line after takeover is rejected CNN
5. ^ The EU gets new competition powers for the 21st century Archived 28 February 2008 at the Wayback Machine European Commission
6. ^ Brussels Accuses iTunes of Violating Competition Rules Der Spiegel
7. ^ Microsoft dispute a lesson, EU says The Seattle Times.nwsource.com
8. ^ Microsoft case sets precedent, says Brussels EU observer
9. ^ Spongenberg, Helena (20 September 2007) US remarks on Microsoft ruling 'unacceptable', says Kroes, EU Observer
10. ^ a b c Who’s who in the new Commission, Financial Times November 2009
11. ^ Accusations will test new commissioner, Financial Times
12. ^ EU’s Almunia Says EMF Would Be a Long-Term Solution (Update1)[dead link] Business Week
13. ^ Margrethe Vestager is the European Commissioner in the Von der Leyen Commission, currently serving as Executive Vice President of the European Commission for A Europe Fit for the Digital Age since December 2019 and European Commissioner for Competition since 2014. Vestager is a member of the Danish Social Liberal Party, and of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party (ALDE) on the European level.
14. ^ https://www.eunews.it/en/2024/09/10/apple-and-google-double-victory-for-margrethe-vestager-eu-court-of-justice-upholds-judgements-for-more-than-15-billion/
15. ^ https://www.reuters.com/technology/apple-loses-fight-against-13-billion-euro-eu-tax-order-ireland-2024-09-10/
16. ^ https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=5130185
17. ^ https://informaconnect.com/digital-era-report-bolsters-commissioner-vestagers-digital-legacy/
18. ^ https://www.reuters.com/article/world/eu-antitrust-policy-under-fire-after-siemens-alstom-deal-blocked-idUSKCN1PV12M/
19. ^ https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=5130185

## External links

[edit]

* Juncker Commission's website
* EU Competition website
* Case No. M.2220, General Electric/Honeywell

* v
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