Competition policy: strengthening international cooperation and rules

In adopting the report by Mr Peter KITTELMANN (PPE, D), Parliament called for the early opening of negotiations, in the run up to the Singapore Conference (December 1996), within the framework of the World Trade Organization, with the aim of introducing minimum competition rules in the multilateral world trade system. Parliament considered that the WTO is the most suitable international body to draw up and negotiate international competition rules. Such rules should be based on the principles of non-discrimination and transparency and should relate to the following areas: abuse of a dominant position, anticompetitive agreements between firms (cartels) and merger control. Parliament also called for an international competition authority to be established as part of the WTO. �