Competition policy – annual report 2025
TA-10-2026-0247 · P10_TA(2026)0247 · PE779.796
- Adopted in plenary on · Adopted 501–61–95 · See the decision →
- Full procedure 2025/2134
Written by a language model from the full text only; every figure comes from the text. The paragraph links open the paragraph a statement rests on — check the text itself before relying on it.
Parliament's resolution on the 2025 competition policy annual report calls for stronger, more independent enforcement, a new competition tool, and full application of the Digital Markets Act, while addressing digital, merger, and State aid challenges.¶¶¶ It urges the Commission to consider scaling up EU companies, revise merger guidelines, and ensure State aid supports strategic sectors without fragmenting the single market.¶¶¶ Parliament demands better information and a formal role in shaping competition policy, including an interinstitutional agreement.¶¶¶
Key points
- Calls on the Commission to introduce a new competition tool to address structural market failures not covered by Articles 101 and 102 TFEU.¶
- Urges full enforcement of the Digital Markets Act (DMA) and warns against foreign interference; supports stronger enforcement against all gatekeepers regardless of nationality.¶¶
- Calls for updating cloud obligations and using the cloud market investigation to adjust DMA rules, noting the Commission's preliminary view that Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services should be designated gatekeepers.¶
- Requests an impact assessment on establishing a dedicated European competition authority, examining subsidiarity, accountability, and implications for the European Competition Network.¶
- Calls for binding procedural time limits on antitrust investigations and modernisation of Regulation (EC) 1/2003 and Regulation (EC) 773/2004.¶¶
- Urges the Commission to investigate oligopolies in financial services, including credit rating agencies and audit firms, and to review the Interchange Fee Regulation.¶¶
- Calls for an ambitious revision of merger guidelines to support scaling up and 'EU champions' while safeguarding consumer welfare and contestability.¶¶
- Asks for measures to detect 'killer acquisitions' and suggests adding a single market legal base to the EC Merger Regulation if reviewed.¶
- Welcomes the Clean Industrial Deal State Aid Framework but calls for targeted implementation to prevent subsidy races and preserve the internal market.¶¶
- Calls for excluding companies linked to tax havens from receiving State aid and for assessing the framework's contribution to combating aggressive tax planning.¶
- Demands a structured dialogue with Parliament and an interinstitutional agreement to formalise its role in competition policy oversight.¶¶
- Invites the European Council to adopt a decision under Article 48(7) TEU to apply the ordinary legislative procedure to competition policy.¶
Who is affected
- Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs): calls for reduced compliance burdens, SME-friendly complaint mechanisms, and inclusion in DMA reviews.¶¶¶
- Digital gatekeepers: subject to full DMA enforcement, including new obligations for cloud and AI services.¶¶¶
- National competition authorities: urged to remain independent, be adequately resourced, and gain 'call-in' powers for mergers.¶¶¶
- Non-EU companies: face scrutiny under the Foreign Subsidies Regulation and foreign direct investment screening.¶¶
- EU regions: calls for State aid flexibility for islands and outermost regions to reduce disparities.¶¶
Figures and deadlines
- EUR 800 billion per year needed to protect EU competitiveness, as estimated by Mario Draghi.¶
- Nearly 700 smaller companies acquired by DMA gatekeepers since 2000, with only 19 notified to the Commission.¶
- More than 90% market share held by the three largest credit rating agencies and four biggest audit firms.¶
- More than three quarters of State aid concentrated in only two Member States.¶
Legal basis: Articles 101 to 109 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union¶