McCreevy To Assume Responsibility For Some Antitrust Cases

by Ulrika Lomas, for LawAndTax-News.com, Brussels

03 June 2005

European Commission president, Jose Manuel Barroso reportedly announced this week that Internal Market Commissioner, Charlie McCreevy will receive new powers to arbitrate in certain competition disputes.

Competition Commissioner, Neelie Kroes announced when she assumed the role that she would not handle any cases involving companies for which she had previously worked. Cases involving firms such as O2, Thales, and Royal P&O Nedlloyd were therefore, until recently, handled by Mr Barroso.

However, in May he was accused of jeopardising his ability to rule impartially on shipping matters, when it emerged that he had holidayed on board a yacht owned by a Greek shipping magnate and family friend.

Therefore, according to a Financial Times report, the EC president has decided to step aside in such matters in favour of Mr McCreevy, who has held no positions outside of politics for the past decade, and who has no significant shareholding interests.

The FT revealed that among his new responsibilities are probes against O2, Vodafone and Deutsche Telekom over excessive roaming charges, a review of the exemption afforded to shipping groups from cartel laws, and an investigation into cross-channel ferry operators.

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