Ireland: Competition boss wants more enforcement tools

The head of Ireland’s competition watchdog has asked for greater enforcement powers, saying the current system is “not appropriate” for detecting or deterring some types of anti-competitive behaviour.

Competition and Consumer Protection Commission chairwoman Isolde Goggin told an event in Brussels that the most the CCPC can achieve when it takes civil cases is a court order directing companies to stop certain conduct.

“We have been vigorous in using the powers that we have – for instance, taking court proceedings against trade associations for fixing prices, or by seeking injunctions to prevent collective boycotts. However, there are undoubtedly cases where we would have sought fines if that option were available,” Goggin said.

“The lack of any kind of financial penalty in civil court actions means there is little deterrent effect in such cases: industry knows that it may as well try to engage in such conduct, because even if we intervene to stop it, they are not at a loss,” she said.

Full Content: Independent

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