Nicosia: European competition policy must remain effective, predictable and able to respond to rapidly changing markets, officials said on Thursday, during a European Competition Conference, held in Nicosia, in the framework of the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the EU. Opening the conference, Eva Pantzari, Chairperson of the Commission for the Protection of Competition of the Republic of Cyprus, said the event offered an opportunity to reflect on the present and future of competition enforcement in the European Union.
According to Cyprus News Agency, Pantzari highlighted that competition law was closely linked to the internal market as it protects the competitive process, prevents distortions, safeguards openness, and supports innovation, investment, and consumer choice. She emphasized that during times of economic uncertainty, technological change, and geopolitical pressure, effective competition enforcement was essential for economic resilience, especially for small and open economies such as Cyprus. Pantzari noted the challenges Cyprus faces, including limited market size, sectoral concentration, dependence on imports, transport and energy costs, and exposure to external shocks. She stressed that competition enforcement must be rigorous where necessary but also grounded in evidence, economic reality, and procedural guarantees.
The conference agenda included discussions on abuse of dominance, merger control, judicial insights on EU competition law, and the consumer goods dimension of competition enforcement in the single market. Pantzari affirmed that the Cyprus Commission for the Protection of Competition remains committed to active participation in the European Competition Network and closer cooperation with the European Commission and other national authorities.
Addressing the conference, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Energy, Commerce and Industry, Kyriakos Iordanou, stated that fair competition was the backbone of the European economic model, ensuring that innovation thrives, consumers benefit, and businesses compete on merit rather than market power. He highlighted the need for the EU to safeguard the internal market while remaining competitive globally amid geopolitical volatility, changes in trade, sanctions, protectionism, tariffs, and uncertainty over energy and fuel supply and prices. Iordanou also noted the EU's initiatives such as the Single Market Strategy, Foreign Direct Investment Screening Regulation, Foreign Subsidies Regulation, Digital Markets Act, and revised merger guidelines to advance competitiveness and strategic autonomy.
In a video message, Anthony Whelan, Director General for Competition at the European Commission, announced the draft new EU Merger Guidelines, published for public consultation on April 30, as the biggest overhaul of the EU merger framework in the past two decades. The new approach would focus less on categories of mergers and more on their effects, with a greater emphasis on dynamic assessments, including innovation, future competitive constraints, and potential pro-competitive benefits. Whelan stated that the Commission aims to finalize the merger guidelines by the end of the year, following feedback due by June 26. He also mentioned plans to adopt guidelines on exclusionary abuses of dominance under Article 102 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union after the summer.
Whelan emphasized enforcement priorities related to the integration of the single market, particularly in consumer goods markets where territorial supply constraints can prevent distributors from sourcing products from Member States with lower prices. He indicated that more action from DG Competition is expected in this area, noting that while such cases may be less prominent than digital ones, they are crucial for citizens' financial well-being. The Republic of Cyprus holds the Presidency of the Council of the EU for a six-month term that began on January 1st, 2026, as part of a Trio Presidency along with Poland and Denmark.