Revista 3 2009

Nr.
3/2009
PROFIL: CONCURENA
TIPAR/PRINTED BY: VEGA PROD
Nevoia de competitivitate i performan n economia romneasc

The need of competitiveness and performance in the Romanian economy
Otilian NEAGOE
2
3
Dreptul concurenei i organizaiile nonprofit n Statele Unite ale Americii, Uniunea

European i Germania
The competition law and not for profit entities in United States of America, European Union
and Germany
Nathaniel CORNOIU - JITRAU
Autoritatea de Valorificare a Activelor Statului i Consiliul Concurenei un lung proces de

colaborare activ n domeniul ajutorului de stat
The Authority for State Assets Recovery and the Competition Council a long and active
cooperation process in the field of state aid
Mircea URSACHE
12
Ieirea din criz - cazul Romniei interbelice

Economic crisis and reestablishing in the inter-war Romania
Marcela SLGEAN
22
23
Concluzii rezultate din analiza Raportului ajutoarelor de stat acordate n Romnia n

perioada 2005 2007
Conclusions drawn from the Report of the state aids granted in Romania between 2005
and 2007
Daniel DIACONESCU, Constana DUMITRESCU
28
Piaa grului concluzii ale raportului investigaiei utile

Wheat market conclusions of the sectoral inquiry report
Maria ALEXANDRU
40
41
Evoluii recente n politica SUA n domeniul concurenei

Recent developments in the United States competition policy
Cristina HAVRI
48
49
Politica i legea concurenei n contextul actualelor provocri economice la nivel global

Competition law and policy in the context of the current economic environment in
distress at global level
Daniela ELEODOR
60
61
Nouti n domeniul concurenei i ajutorului de stat

News in the competition and state aid field
Carmen BUCUR
80
81
13
29
3/2009
NEVOIA DE COMPETITIVITATE I PERFORMAN

N ECONOMIA ROMNEASC
Otilian NEAGOE 1
Economia Romniei, marcat puternic de

recesiunea economic, se afl la intersecia dintre
structurile nematurizate ale economiei funcionale
de pia i procesele emergente ale tranziiei
externe, specifice fenomenului convergenei
europene.
Provocarea strategic pentru tranziia extern a

Romniei, oficial declanat n 2007, este
capacitatea precar de susinere a convergenei
reale, creterile de produs intern brut fiind
rezultatul tot mai evident n ultimii 2 - 3 ani, al
stimulrii agresive a consumului prin angajarea
unor cheltuieli care nu au avut acoperire din surse
interne. n aceste condiii, competitivitatea i
convergena european a proceselor economice
romneti se resimt profund i ca urmare a
efectelor crizei financiare.
Spargerea cercului vicios al decalajelor reale are

dou soluii complementare: valorificarea integral
a finanrii aferente procesului de integrare i
intensificarea efortului propriu n realizarea
proiectului romnesc de modernizare, mai ales n
componenta lui inovativ, susinut de educaie.
Astfel, Romnia este n situaia dificil de a pierde

att competiia cu sine, relevana social a
aciunilor transformaionale de la nivelul
economiei, ct i competiia n context european,
activarea potenialului de convergen, pentru
ieirea din condiia de periferie a UE.
Este nevoie de o ajustare raional a cheltuielilor,

care trebuie s vizeze dezvoltarea infrastructurii
naionale, att cea din transporturi, ct i n
domeniul educaiei, sntii, dezvoltrii rurale i
proteciei mediului.
Semnalele cele mai puternice de vulnerabilitate a

evoluiilor romneti n perioada de postaderare
sunt:
plafonarea iniiativei sociale, cu deosebire a

iniiativei antreprenoriale (cca 20 de IMM uri
la 1000 de locuitori, fa de 56 media
european);
recuperarea decalajelor reale fa de UE nu
are orizont de timp stimulativ raportat la
ateptrile oamenilor;
deficitul de bunstare agravat de evoluia
crizei financiare, resimit prin diminuarea
dramatic a puterii de cumprare,
accentueaz un moral social slab;
evoluiile n structura socio-ocupaional sunt
haotice, n absena proiectului;
slaba capacitate de inovare economic i
social.
amplificarea dezechilibrelor interne;

agravarea alarmant a unora dintre deficite;
decalajul structural dintre cererea agregat n
expansiune, mai ales pe segmentul
consumului menajelor i oferta intern rigid;
presiunea cheltuielilor salariale;
Vicepreedinte al Consiliului Concurenei.
3/2009
THE NEED OF COMPETITIVENESS AND

2
PERFORMANCE IN THE ROMANIAN ECONOMY
Otilian NEAGOE3
The Romania's economy, intensely marked by the

economic recession, is at the crossing point
between the immature structures of the functioning
market economy, and the emerging processes of
the external transition, typical of the European
convergence phenomenon.
The strategic challenge for the Romania's

external transition, officially started in 2007, is
the precarious capacity to encourage the real
convergence, the GDP increases becoming
more and more obviously, over the last two
years the result of the aggressive stimulating of
the consumption, through the engaging of
certain expenditure without covering from
domestic sources. Given such conditions, the
competitiveness and the European
convergence of the Romanian economic
processes are deeply suffering from the
financial crisis effects too.
Thus, Romania is in the difficult state of losing both

the competition with itself, the social relevance of
the innovating deeds carried out at the economy
level, and the competition developed within the
European context, the intensifying of the
convergence potential, in order to get rid of the
state of European Union' purlieus.
The breaking of the vicious circle of the real

disparities has got two complementary solutions:
the integral turning to account of the financing
afferent to the accession process, and the
intensifying of the domestic effort aimed at the
achievement of the Romanian modernizing
project, especially within its innovating
component, encouraged by education / training.
The more intense vulnerability signs of the

Romanian developments, over the post-accession
period, are the following:
housekeeping consumption segment, and the

stiff domestic supply;
The wages expenditure pressure;
The limiting of the social initiative, especially
of the entrepreneurial one (about 20 SMEs
per 1000 inhabitants, as compared with the
European average of 56 SMEs per 1000
inhabitants);
The redeeming of the real gaps towards the
European Union has got no stimulative
temporal horizon, with reference to people
expectations;
The welfare deficit worsened by the
development of the financial crisis, felt by the
dramatic decreasing of the purchasing power,
is stressing a feeble social morale;
The evolutions within the socio-occupational
structure are chaotic, because the plan is
missing;
The insufficient economic and social
innovating capacity.
A rational adjusting of the expenditure is necessary,

which has to aim at the developing of the national
infrastructure - both that from the transport field,
and, respectively, those from the education, the
health, the rural development, and the
environment protection fields.
The amplifying of the internal unbalances;

The alarming worsening of certain deficits;
The structural disparity between the aggregate
demand, being in expansion, especially on the
Translated into English by Doina Mesteacn.

Vicepresident of the Competition Council.
3/2009
Recurgerea la planificarea bugetar multianual i

urmrirea unei strategii predeterminate ce pot
constitui formule de cretere a eficienei n toate
proiectele iniiate att n zona public, ct i n
zona privat.
Susinerea dezvoltrii prin fonduri UE, efortul

propriu, evitarea riscului de a irosi oportunitile de
insider al UE, inclusiv prin buna guvernare, este
proba cert a nelegerii interesului naional n
spiritul unui pragmatism eficient.
Trecerea la ajustarea structural a ofertei, pentru

evitarea unor dezechilibre pronunate i
gestionarea echilibrat a bugetului ar avea efecte
benefice pe termen scurt, dar i n perspectiv.
n sintez, noiunile cheie pentru etapa socio

economic n care se afl Romnia sunt eficiena,
competitivitatea i convergena. n funcie de
modul eficient n care le operaionalizm depinde
succesul economic i social al societii romneti.
Alturi de aceste soluii operaionale este nevoie de

soluii strategice, cum ar fi:
Ordine i performan, cum ar spune A. Comte,

este deviza imperativ a momentului pentru ca
Romnia s fie competitiv i stabil, s aib un
mediu concurenial, funcional i echilibrat.
profesionalizarea forei de munc (educaia

continu lucrtori calificai creterea
atractivitii regiunii pentru celelalte firme
atragerea altor lucrtori calificai etc.);
forarea importurilor de tehnologie nalt,
Romnia trebuie s imite n domeniile n care
nu poate inova i s inoveze n domeniile n
care exist capabiliti (domeniul informaiei,
spre exemplu);
acordarea de faciliti fiscale firmelor care
investesc n cercetare dezvoltare i crearea
de parteneriate cu universiti institute de
cercetare dezvoltare.
Romnia trebuie s mbunteasc stimulentele

economice i instituionale, care sunt eseniale
pentru dezvoltarea spiritului antreprenorial.
Injeciile de lichiditate i stimulii bugetari, formule
economice prin care rile dezvoltate ncearc
evitarea unei contracii economice de proporii, au
produs deja o stabilizare n unele segmente ale
economiei.
Criza las urme adnci. Cererea i oferta sunt
afectate pentru o perioad de timp. Este nevoie de
aciuni economice i politice concertate i energice
pentru a relansa societatea romneasc n toate
segmentele ei.
3/2009
Resorting to the multi-annual budgetary planning,

and having in view a pre-defined strategy could be
suitable solutions for the efficiency increasing in all
the projects initiated within the public area, as well
as in the private one.
The supporting of the development, through the

funds from the European Union, the domestic
effort, the avoiding of the risk to squander the
opportunities given by the European Union insider
status, inclusively the sound governance, is the
doubtless proof of the understanding of the
national interest in the spirit of an efficacious
pragmatism.
The passing to the structural adjusting of the offer,

in order to avoid certain marked unbalances, and
the well-balanced administering of the budget
would have short term and far-reaching beneficial
effects.
Synthetically, the key notions for the nowadays

Romania's socio-economical stage are the
efficiency, the competitiveness, and the
convergence. The economic and social progresses
of the Romanian society depend on the way to put
such notions into operation.
Beside these operational solutions, strategic

solutions would be needed, such as:
improving of the labor professional

competences / abilities (permanent training
skilled workers increasing of the region
attractiveness for the other companies
attracting of other new skilled workers, etc.);
intensifying the high-tech imports (Romania
has to imitate where it cannot innovate, and
to innovate where it has got capabilities for
example, the information field);
awarding of fiscal facilities to companies
investing in the research-development field,
and setting up of partnerships universities
research and development institutes.
Tidiness and performance, as A. Compte would

say, should be the motto of the moment, for
Romania to become competitive and lasting, and
to get a functioning and well-balanced competitive
environment.
Romania has to improve the economic and

institutional incentives, which are essential for the
developing of the entrepreneurial spirit.
The liquidity injections and the budgetary
incentives, economic solutions by which the
developed countries try to avoid an ample
depression, have already led to a stabilizing in some
regions.
The crisis let deep traces. The demand and the offer
have been affected for a period of time. Vigorous
economic and political actions are necessary, in
order to re-launch the Romanian system.
3/2009
DREPTUL CONCURENEI I ORGANIZAIILE

NONPROFIT N STATELE UNITE ALE AMERICII,
UNIUNEA EUROPEAN I GERMANIA4
Nathaniel CORNOIU-JITRAU5
n urm cu trei ani, prestigioasa editur german
Peter Lang a publicat teza de doctorat a tinerei
cercettoare Cristiana CICORIA.
Fr a face exces de erudiie , autoarea i-a

documentat n mod temeinic studiul su, utiliznd
nu mai puin de 462 de surse bibliografice10,
provenite n marea lor majoritate din doctrina
economic; printre autorii citai se afl ilutrii:
Adam Smith, Gary Becker, Robert H. Bork, Ronald
Coase, Friedrich Hayek, Amartya Sen i George
Stigler.
Susinut cu succes n anul precedent, la Institutul

pentru Drept i Economie al Universitii din
Hamburg, lucrarea a avut drept subiect o tem pe
ct de inedit6, pe att de interesant, i anume
aplicarea Dreptului concurenei n cazul
organizaiilor nonprofit (ONP).
Desigur, doctrinarii juriti nu au fost ignorai, cei

mai importani regsindu-se la loc de cinste pe lista
referinelor: Christopher Bellamy, G.D. Child i
Vivian Rose, Doris Hildebrand, Alison Jones i
Brenda Sufrin, W.E. Kovacic, O.Odudu, E.A.
Posner i R.A. Posner.
Plecnd de la constatarea c sectorul nonprofit

joac un rol fundamental n dezvoltarea societii
civile, [] organizaiile non-profit reprezentnd o
for economic major7, autoarea a analizat
sistematic materia relevant, prezentarea fiind
limpede i stilul cursiv.
Ipoteza de la care a plecat autoarea n studiul su

este c organizaiile nonprofit sunt direct afectate
de fenomenul concurenei, att la nivelul cererii,
ct i la nivelul ofertei11. Aadar, concurena cu
care se confrunt O.N.P.-urile este dubl, fiind att
intrasectorial12 (pe piaa bunului produs sau
serviciului prestat, fa de agenii economici
obinuii), ct i infrasectorial13 (prin raportare
la celelalte organizaii necomerciale)14, cele dou
forme de competiie nefiind incompatibile15.
Lucrarea este mprit n 6 capitole8, din care

primul conine introducerea (p.13-21), al doilea
cuprinde o expunere a problematicii concurenei
n domeniul nonprofit (p.23-58), al treilea este
consacrat analizei legislaiei, jurisprudenei i
doctrinei nord-americane relevante (p.59-128), al
patrulea este acoperit de studiul Dreptului
comunitar aplicabil (p.129-203), al cincilea este
dedicat examinrii teoriei i practicii germane
incidente (p.205-248), iar ultimul nglobeaz o
analiz comparativ a celor trei legislaii abordate
nsoit de concluzii (p.249-258).
4
Recenzia lucrrii: Dr. Cristiana CICORIA, Nonprofit organizations facing
competition. The application of United Nations, European and German
Competition Law to not-for-profit entities (Peter Lang, Frankfurt, 2006,
286p.).
5
Inspector de concuren, Direcia Juridic-contencios.
6
C.CICORIA, op.cit., p.18 i nota de subsol nr.18.
7
C.CICORIA, op.cit., p.13.
8
Planul detaliat al lucrrii se gsete la
adresa:http://www.agiimc.de/intelligentSEARCH.nsf/alldocs/683CCA10
96AF9235C125715A004816FF/$File/88087291.PDF?OpenElement
(accesat pe 26 august 2009).
Esenial ni se pare a fi faptul c n Dreptul

concurenei american, comunitar i german nu
exist o exceptare a ONP-urilor de la aplicarea
regulilor antitrust, ci dimpotriv, acestea sunt
tratate ca simpli ageni economici, n pofida
statutului lor caritabil16.
9
Cele 246 de pagini ale textului propriu-zis al tezei sunt nsoite de 611 note de
subsol.
10
Lista lor complet se afl la: C.CICORIA, op.cit., p.259-286.
11
12
C.CICORIA, op.cit., p.41-44.
13
14
15
O organizatie nonprofit care s-a confruntat simultan cu concurena
intrasectorial i cu cea infrasectorial a fost Crucea Roie American; pentru
detalii, a se vedea: C.CICORIA, op.cit., p.44-45 i p.55-56.
16
3/2009
COMPETITION LAW AND NONPROFIT

ORGANIZATIONS IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
THE EUROPEAN UNION AND GERMANY17
Nathaniel CORNOIU-JITRAU18
Three years ago, a well-known respected German
publishing house has had the excellent idea of
printing the first book of the young Italian
researcher Cristiana CICORIA.
Without making any excess of erudition22, the

author earnestly documented her study by using no
more than 462 bibliographic references23, most of
them coming from the economic doctrine; among
the famous cited authors we found: Adam Smith,
Gary Becker, Robert H. Bork, Ronald Coase,
Friedrich Hayek, Amartya Sen and George Stigler.
Being the author's PhD thesis successfully defended

before the Institute of Law and Economics of the
Hamburg University, its subject is a novel19 and very
interesting topic, namely the application of
Competition Law to nonprofit organizations
(ONPs).
Naturally, the jurists were not ignored, the most

important of them being included on the list of
authorities: Christopher Bellamy, G.D. Child and
Vivian Rose, Doris Hildebrand, Alison Jones and
Brenda Sufrin, W.E. Kovacic, O. Odudu, E.A.
Posner and R.A. Posner.
Starting from the observations that The nonprofit

voluntary sector plays a fundamental role in the
development of the civil society. and []
nonprofit organizations are a major economic
force20, the author has analyzed thoroughly the
relevant matter and presented the issues in vivid
and a clear style.
The primary hypothesis of the author is that the

nonprofit organizations are directly affected by
the competition phenomenon from the
demand side, as well as from the supply side 24.
As a result, the competition faced by ONP is
double: inter-sector competition 25 (on the
market of the manufactured goods or the
delivered services, in relation with the for-profit
undertakings), as well as the infra-sector
competition 26 (in relation with the other noncommercial organizations) 27, the two forms of
competition not being incompatible.
The book has 6 chapters 21: the first contains the

foreword (pp.13-21), the second comprises a
presentation of the competition matter in the
nonprofit domain (pp.23-58), the third is
focused on the analysis of the legislation, the
jurisprudence and the relevant NordAmerican doctrine (pp.59-128), the fourth
contains the review of the applicable EC Law
(pp.129-203), the fifth is dedicated to
presenting the relevant German theory and
practice (pp.205-248), and the last one
includes a comparative analysis of those three
legislations, as well as the conclusions
(pp.249-258).
The fact that the US, EC and German Competition

Laws do not provide any exemption of the ONPs
from the application of the antitrust rules is
considered crucial by us; indeed, they are treated
as common undertakings, despite their charitable
status28.
17
Review of Dr. Cristiana CICORIA, Nonprofit organizations facing
competition. The application of United States, European and German
Competition Law to not-for-profit entities (Frankfurt: Peter Lang, 2006,
286pp.). The text of the following book review was translated into English by
Ioan D. Popa and revised by Nathaniel Cornoiu-Jitrau.
18
Competition inspector, Legal Department.
19
C.CICORIA, op.cit., p.18 and footnote 18; the book's description is available
at:http://www.peterlang.com/index.cfm?vID=55164&vLang=E&vHR=1&v
UR=2&vUUR=1 (accessed on 26th of August, 2009).
20
21
Its detailed plan could be downloaded at: http://www.agiimc.de/intelligentSEARCH.nsf/alldocs/683CCA1096AF9235C125715A004
816FF/$File/88087291.PDF?OpenElement (accessed on 26th of August,

2009).
22
The 246 pages of the book's main text are accompanied by 611 footnotes.
The full list of the footnotes is at: C.CICORIA, op.cit., pp.259-286.
23
C.CICORIA, op.cit., p.17 and footnote 15.
24
C.CICORIA, op.cit., pp.41-44.
25
C.CICORIA, op.cit., pp.35-41.
26
27
A nonprofit organization which has been faced in the same time with intersector and infra-sector competition was the American Red Cross; details
could be found at: C. CICORIA, op.cit., pp.44-45 and pp.55-56.
28
3/2009
De asemenea, notabil este observaia Dr. Cristiana

Cicoria privind fenomenul economic, n general:
Esena economiei de pia este efortul concurenial
al furnizorilor de a oferi cel mai bun produs i al
cumprtorilor de a face achiziia optim29.
Capitolul 4 este cel mai ntins dintre cele ase ale

volumului i conine o examinare sistematic a
Dreptului comunitar al concurenei aplicabil
ONP-urilor.
Plecnd de la ipoteza c entitile nonprofit sunt
supuse reglementrilor antitrust numai dac
particip ca ageni economici pe Piaa Comun40,
autoarea volumului recenzat a constatat c, n lipsa
unor norme speciale legiferate la nivel comunitar41,
Curtea European de Justiie a hotrt nc din
1980, n Dosarele conexate nr.C-209/1978 - C215/1978 i C-218/1978 [Heintz Van Landewyck
SARL i alii contra Comisiei Europene], faptul c
organizaiile nonprofit care desfoar activiti
economice sunt ntreprinderi, n nelesul art.81
al Tratatului de la Roma privind instituirea
Comunitii Economice Europene42.
Obiectivul autoarei a fost dublu, i anume:

cercetarea comportamentului ONP-urilor pe o
pia concurenial i verificarea aplicabilitii n
S.U.A., la nivel comunitar i n Germania a regulilor
de concuren n cazul organizaiilor nonprofit30.
Din capitolul 2 ne-a reinut atenia analiza efectelor
concurenei asupra ONP-urilor31, care include: o
teorie a efectelor pozitive ale nelegerilor
anticoncureniale ncheiate de organizaiile
nonprofit32, un examen succint al efectelor pozitive
33
ale concurenei pentru entitile nonprofit , o
expunere a riscurilor i posibilelor efecte negative
ale competiiei n cazul ONP-urilor34 i o examinare
sumar a problemelor aprute cu ocazia supunerii
organizaiilor nonprofit la rigorile Dreptului
concurenei35.
Dintre domeniile n care activeaz ONP-urile

crora n perioada 1981-2002 li s-a aplicat Dreptul
comunitar amintim: societile de asigurri
mutuale, asociaiile profesionale, asociaiile de
firme care opereaz pe aceiai pia, cluburile
sportive, asociaiile de transmisiuni televizate
comerciale43 etc. Dintre cazurile analizate n
detaliu menionm: FEDETAB (1980), NAWEVAANSEAU (1982), P & I (1999) i Ambulanz Glckner
(2001).
Cele 70 de pagini ale Capitolului 3 cuprind o

cercetare amnunit a legislaiei americane, a
practicii administrative i a jurisprudenei
relevante, ncepnd cu primul act normativ din
lume n materia proteciei liberei concurene
[Sherman Act (1890)], care a fost urmat de: Clayton
Act (1914), Robinson-Patman Act (1936) i Federal
Trade Commission Act (1988).
Al treilea termen al studiului comparativ ntreprins

de Dr. Cristiana CICORIA este Dreptul german al
concurenei aplicabil organizaiilor nonprofit.
Remarcm faptul c prima hotrre a Curii

Supreme a Statelor Unite ale Americii n care s-a
fcut aplicarea regulilor antitrust n cazul unei
organizaii nonprofit a fost pronunat n 1975
[Goldfarb contra Baroului Statului Virginia], ulterior
36
jurisprudena fiind constant n acelai sens ,
cazuri relevante fiind: National Collegiate Athletic
Association (1984) 37 , Statele Unite contra
Universitii Brown (1993)38 i Federal Trade
Commission contra Butter wor th Health
Corporation (1996)39.
29

31
C.CICORIA, op.cit., p.45 i urm.
32
33
34
35
36
37
Expunerea speei se gsete la: C.CICORIA, op.cit., p.83-89.
38
Pentru detalii, a se vedea: C.CICORIA, op.cit., p.89-95.
39
Pentru dezvoltri, a se consulta: C.CICORIA, op.cit., p.104-107.
40
C.CICORIA, op.cit., p.166 i nota de subsol nr.450, precum i p.170.
30
Cel mai dezvoltat sistem de protecie a liberei

concurene din Europa a fost inaugurat n 1945, la
44
iniiativa Puterilor Aliate , fiind armonizat cu
45
normele comunitare n 1958 i perfecionat
46
ulterior de apte ori, ultima dat n 2005 .
41

C.CICORIA, op.cit., p.170, notele de subsol nr.463-465 i p.171, nota de
subsol nr.466.
44
45
Alison JONES, Brenda SUFRIN, EC Competition Law (ediia a treia, Oxford
University Press, Oxford, 2007, p.36, nota de subsol nr.107).
46
Pentru detalii, a se vedea: Dr. Wolfgang WURMNEST, A new era for private
antitrust litigation in Germany? A critical appraisal of the modernized Law against
restraints of competition (German Law Journal, vol.6, nr.8/2005, p.1173-1189);
eseul se gsete la adresa:
http://www.germanlawjournal.com/pdf/V ol06No08/PDF_Vol_06_No_08_117
3-1190_Developments_Wurmnest.pdf (accesat pe 26 august 2009).
42
43
3/2009
In the same time, a very important notice made by

Dr. Cristiana Cicoria concerns the economic
phenomenon, in general: The essence of the
market place is a competitive effort of suppliers to
make the best offer product and of buyers to make
the best purchase47.
Chapter 4 is the most developed of all the book's

parts and contains a systematic analysis of EC
Competition Law applicable to ONPs.
Starting from the hypothesis that nonprofit entities
fall under the competition rules only if they are
participating on the Common Market as
undertakings58, and after a sound research, Dr.
C.Cicoria reached the conclusion that, while
special legal norms are absent at the Community
level59, the European Court of Justice decided for
the first time in 1980, in the Joint Cases nos.C-209
to C-215/1978 and C-218/1978 [Heintz Van
Landewyck SARL and others v. European
Commission], that nonprofit organizations carrying
out economic activities are undertakings within
the meaning of Art.81 EC Treaty60.
The objective of the author was double, namely to

study the behavior of the ONPs on competitive
markets and to verify the application of the
competition rules to nonprofit organizations in
U.S.A., at the EC level and in Germany48.
The second chapter brought into our attention the
analysis of the competition effects over the ONPs49,
including: a theory of the positive effects of the
anticompetitive agreements concluded by the
nonprofit organizations50, a brief examination of
the positive effects of competition for the charitable
entities51, a presentation of the risks and of the
potential negative effects of competition in the
ONPs cases52, and a rapid examination of the issues
related to the observance of the Competition Law
by the nonprofit organizations53.
Among the charitable fields of activity in which

the EC Competition Law was applied during
1981-2002 there are: mutual insurers,
professional associations, associations of firms
operating on the same market, sport clubs, trade
broadcasting associations61 etc. In the same time,
we point out that the following cases were
analyzed thoroughly in the same book:
FEDETAB (1980), NAWEVA-ANSEAU (1982),
P & I (1999) and Ambulanz Glckner (2001).
The 70 pages of the Chapter 3 include a meticulous

research of the US legislation, of the administrative
practice and of the relevant judicial precedents,
starting with the first law in the world enacted in
the field of free competition protection [Sherman
Act (1890)], followed by: Clayton Act (1914),
Robinson-Patman Act (1936) and Federal Trade
Commission Act (1988).
The third element of the comparative study carried

out by Dr. Cristiana CICORIA is the German
Competition Law applicable to nonprofit
organizations.
The most developed European system of free
competition protection was inaugurated in 1945,
at the initiative of the Allied Powers62; it was
harmonized with the EEC norms in 195863 and has
been improved afterwards continuously, the last
time in 200564.
We have noted that the first decision of the US

Supreme Court in a case involving the application
of the antitrust rules to a nonprofit organization was
issued in 1975 [Goldfarb v. The Virginia State Bar],
which was followed by a very solid case law54, the
relevant cases being: National Collegiate Athletic
Association (1984)55, United States v. Brown
University (1993)56 and Federal Trade Commission v.
Butterworth Health Corporation (1996)57.
47

C. CICORIA, op.cit., p.20.
49
C. CICORIA, op.cit., pp.45-56.
50
51
52
53
54
55
The case is presented at: C. CICORIA, op.cit., pp.83-89.
56
Details could be found at : C. CICORIA, op.cit., pp.89-95.
57
For a detailed presentation see: C. CICORIA, op.cit., pp.104-107.
58
C. CICORIA, op.cit., p.166 and footnote 450, as well as p.170.
59
60
48
C. CICORIA, op.cit., p.168 and footnote 455.

C. CICORIA, op.cit., p.170, footnotes 463-465 and p.171, footnote
466.
62
63
Alison JONES, Brenda SUFRIN, EC Competition Law (the third edition,
Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2007, p.36, footnote 107).
64
A detailed presentation was made by: Dr. Wolfgang WURMNEST, A
new era for private antitrust litigation in Germany? A critical appraisal of
the modernized Law against restraints of competition (German Law
Journal, vol.6, no.8/2005, pp.1173-1189); the essay could be found at:
http://www.germanlawjournal.com/pdf/Vol06No08/PDF_Vol_06_No_
08_1173-1190_Developments_Wurmnest.pdf (accessed on 26th of
August, 2009).
61
3/2009
n afar de o expunere amnunit a normelor

juridice n vigoare, autoarea a prezentat lapidar i
unele hotrri relevante ale instanelor germane.
Astfel, n materia nelegerilor anticoncureniale pe
orizontal, cele mai importante cazuri au fost
legate de controlul judectoresc exercitat de
Curtea Suprem Federal a Germaniei asupra
contractelor semnate de Federaia German de
Fotbal cu ocazia comercializrii drepturilor de
televizare a meciurilor din Liga Campionilor i cupa
UEFA, ocazie cu care s-a stabilit nclcarea regulilor
de concuren65.
n ceea ce privete restriciile verticale, specialista
italian a ales Dosarul Berliner Musikschule
(1979), iar abuzul de poziie dominant a fost
ilustrat prin prezentarea succint a unor dosare
precum:Universittssportclub (1968),
Volksbhne II (1970) Inter-MailandSpiel(1987), Krakentransporte (1987) i Privater
Pflegedienst (2001).
La sfritul tezei sale, autoarea a ajuns la concluzia
c organizaiile nonprofit sunt supuse normelor
privind protecia liberei concurene att n Statele
Unite ale Americii, ct i la nivel comunitar, precum
i n Germania66.
n opinia noastr, lucrarea recenzat este
binevenit n doctrina de specialitate, fiind o
ilustrare a modului exemplar n care studiul
economiei aplicate poate servi dublului scop al
nelegerii mai bune i aplicrii mai eficiente a
Dreptului concurenei67.
65
Pentru dezvoltri, a se vedea: C.CICORIA, op.cit., p.229 i nota de
subsol
nr.581, p.230 i nota de subsol nr.582.
66
67
Pentru o introducere n acest domeniu, a se vedea: Ernest GELLHORN,
William E. KOVACIC, Stephen CALKINS (eds.), Antitrust Law & Economics
in a nutshell (ediia a cincea revzut i adugit, Thomson/West, St.Paul,
2004, XLVII+617p.). Pentru dezvoltri, a se vedea: Abel M. MATEUS, Teresa

MOREIRA (eds.), Competition Law and Economics. Advances in competition
policy and antitrust enforcement (Kluwer Law International, Alphen aan den
Rijn, 2007, IX+379p.); Einer ELHAUGE, Damien GERADIN, Global Antitrust
Law and Economics (Foundation Press, New York, 2007, XXXV+1.231p.). n
prezent, lucrarea fundamental este teza de doctorat a lui Ioannis LIANOS, La
transformation du Droit de la concurrence par le recours l'analyse conomique
(Bruylant, Bruxelles, 2007, XIX+1.698p.).
10
3/2009
Besides a thorough examination of the legal norms

in force, the author has briefly presented certain
relevant decisions of the German courts. As a result,
in the field of horizontal anticompetitive
agreements, the most important cases are related to
the court's control performed by the Germany's
Supreme Federal Court over the contracts signed
by the German Football Federation in connection
with the commercialization of the TV broadcasting
rights of the matches played in the Champions
League and UEFA Cup, when the infringement of
competition rules was established68.
In respect to the vertical restraints, the Italian expert
has chosen the Berliner Musikschule case (1979),
and the abuse of dominant position was presented
through succinct presentation of certain cases such
as :Universittssportclub (1968), Volksbhne II
(1970) Inter-Mailand-Spiel(1987),
Krakentransporte (1987) and Privater
Pflegedienst (2001).
At the end of her thesis, the author reached the
conclusion that nonprofit organizations are falling
under the norms on free competition protection in
the United States of America, at the EC level, as well
as in Germany69.
In our opinion, Dr. Cristiana Cicoria must be
congratulated for the results of and her book
welcomed, as long as she brilliantly has illustrated
how the research of applied Economics could
support the double aim of a better understanding
and a smarter enforcement of the relevant
Competition Law70.
68
For details see: C. CICORIA, op.cit., p.229 and footnote 581, p.230 and
footnote 582.
69
70
An useful introduction in this field could be found at: Ernest GELLHORN,
William E. KOVACIC, Stephen CALKINS (eds.), Antitrust Law & Economics in
a nutshell (5th revised edition, St. Paul: Thomson/West, 2004, xlvii-617pp.).
For a detailed presentation see: Abel M. MATEUS, Teresa MOREIRA (eds.),
11
Competition Law and Economics. Advances in competition policy and

antitrust enforcement (Alphen aan den Rijn: Kluwer Law International, 2007,
ix-379pp.); Einer ELHAUGE, Damien GERADIN, Global Antitrust Law and
Economics (New York: Foundation Press, 2007, xxxv-1.231pp.). In this
moment, the fundamental study is Ioannis LIANOS' PhD thesis: La
transformation du Droit de la concurrence par le recours l'analyse
conomique (Bruxelles: Bruylant, 2007, xix-1.698pp.).
3/2009
AUTORITATEA DE VALORIFICARE A ACTIVELOR STATULUI I

CONSILIUL CONCURENEI UN LUNG PROCES DE
COLABORARE ACTIV N DOMENIUL AJUTORULUI DE STAT71
Mircea URSACHE72
Rezumat
Activitatea Autoritii pentru Valorificarea Activelor Statului (AVAS), att n nume propriu ct i prin
intermediul societilor comerciale cu capital majoritar de stat, se intersecteaz adesea cu experii
Consiliului Concurenei, n mod special dup decembrie 2001.
Dei, actul normativ privind ajutorul de stat a aprut nc din anul 1999, principala confruntare dintre
experii celor dou instituii s-a realizat odat cu promovarea Legii nr.137/2002 privind unele msuri pentru
accelerarea privatizrii, care a introdus prevederea prin care prin derogare de la prevederile Legii nr.
143/1999 privind ajutorul de stat, Consiliul Concurenei va emite decizia legal n procedur de urgen,
astfel nct s poat fi respectat termenul de plat prevzut n contract, ct i a unor acte normative
speciale pentru privatizarea unor societi comerciale.
Cuvinte cheie: privatizare, ajutor de stat, colaborare.
Procesul de privatizare derulat n perioada
decembrie 2001- martie 2005 a fost nsoit de
acordarea unor faciliti la plata obligaiilor
restante, att ctre bugetul consolidat al statului,
ct i ctre AVAS sau furnizorii de utiliti, faciliti
prevzute att de acte normative cu caracter
general, ct i de acte normative speciale.
autorizare a unor scheme de ajutor de stat de

restructurare i o decizie de autorizare a unei
scheme de ajutor de stat pentru realizarea de
investiii.
Pentru deciziile individuale privind ajutorul de stat
pentru restructurare Consiliul Concurenei a
autorizat un volum total al ajutorului de stat n
sum de 2.387.359.178 lei, n cadrul unor
programe de msuri asumate de societile
comerciale privatizate i cumprtorii pachetelor
de aciuni, care nsumeaz o valoare total de
6.541.851.759 lei (de circa 3 ori mai mare dect
volumul ajutorului de stat).
Aceste faciliti au fost notificate Consiliului

Concurenei de ctre AVAS, n numele tuturor
furnizorilor de ajutor de stat, n vederea analizrii i
autorizrii, fie ca ajutoare de stat de restructurare,
fie ca ajutoare de stat pentru dezvoltarea unor
programe de investiii.
Urmare documentaiilor depuse de AVAS,
Consiliul Concurenei a analizat i a emis un numr
de 80 Decizii pentru autorizarea unor ajutoare de
stat individuale de restructurare, 3 decizii de
71
Discursul Preedintelui AVAS la conferina de lansare a Programului ReNAS
din data de 30.06.2009.
72
Preedinte al Autoritii pentru Valorificarea Activelor Statului.
12
3/2009
THE AUTHORITY FOR STATE ASSETS RECOVERY AND THE

COMPETITION COUNCIL A LONG AND ACTIVE
COOPERATION PROCESS IN THE FIELD OF STATE AID73
Mircea URSACHE74
Abstract75
The activity of the Authority for State Assets Recovery (hereinafter AVAS), carried out both on its behalf and
by the companies in which the state holds controlling interest capital, was often and especially after
December 2001 - intersecting with that of the Competition Council experts.
Although the normative act on State aid has been issued in 1999, the main confrontation between the
experts in our institutions has been carried out since the promoting both of the Law no. 137/2002
concerning certain measures taken for the privatization speed, that introduced the following stipulation by
derogation from the provisions of the Law no. 143/1999 on State aid, the Competition Council should issue
the legal decision by emergency procedure, so that the payment term stipulated into the contract to be
observed, and of some special normative acts aimed at the privatization of certain companies.
Keywords: privatization, state aid, cooperation.
The privatization process carried on over the
period December 2001 March 2005 has been
accompanied by the awarding of certain facilities
for the outstanding duties payment, both towards
the State consolidated budget, and towards AVAS
or towards the suppliers of utilities, such facilities
being stipulated either in general normative acts, or
in special normative acts.
certain restructuring individual aids, 3 decisions for

the authorizing of certain restructuring State aid
schemes, and one decision aiming the authorizing
of a State aid scheme for investment carrying out.
As concerns the individual decisions regarding the
restructuring State aid, the Competition Council
authorized a total volume of State aid amounting
at 2,387,359,178 lei, within certain programs
containing measures assumed by the privatized
companies and by the buyers of the stock packages
(these packages amounting a total value of
6,541,851,759 lei (three times higher than the
State aid volume).
Such facilities have been notified, by the AVAS, on

the behalf of all State aid grantors, to the
Competition Council, with a view to be analyzed
and authorized, either as restructuring State aids, or
as State aids aimed at the developing of certain
investment programs.
The Competition Council analyzed the reference
materials submitted by the AVAS, and issued a
number of 80 decisions aimed at the authorizing of
73
Speech of the President of the Authority for State Assets Recovery
(AVAS) within the ReNAS launching Conference from 30th June
2009.
74
President of the Authority for State Assets Recovery (AVAS).
75
13
3/2009
Costul msurilor din programele de restructurare

este structurat dup cum urmeaz:
Procesul de autorizare a fost ngreunat i de faptul

c regulamentele emise de Consiliului Concurenei
s-au modificat i s-au adaptat regulilor comunitare,
cum s-ar spune n timpul jocului, dar i de faptul c
n procesul de acordare a ajutoarelor de stat au fost
implicate mai multe instituii, n timp ce structura
instituional s-a schimbat frecvent (s-a desfiinat
Oficiului Concurenei, s-au preluat bugetul de
omaj, bugetul de asigurri sociale i parial bugetul
pentru asigurri sociale de sntate, de ctre
Ministerul Finanelor Publice i respectiv parial de
AVAS).
msuri de reorganizare a societii comerciale

n proporie de 25,79% din costul total al
msurilor;
msuri de retehnologizare a societii
comerciale n proporie de 40,09% din costul
total al msurilor;
msuri de restructurare de mediu a societii
comerciale n proporie de 9,32% din costul
total al msurilor;
msuri financiare n proporie de 24,08% din
costul total al msurilor, nelund n
considerare ajutorul de stat.
Mai mult dect att, importana strngerii ntr-un

timp ct mai scurt i ct mai corect din punct de
vedere al ncadrrii n criteriile privind ajutorul de
stat a informaiilor necesare emiterii deciziilor de
autorizare a condus la nfiinarea Comitetului
Interministerial n domeniul ajutorului de stat, sub
coordonarea Consiliului Concurenei, care a
permis schimbul de idei i opinii, n timp real, ntre
reprezentanii tuturor instituiilor implicate i
dezbaterea unor spee, care s permit nelegerea
modului de aplicarea a principiilor ajutorului de
stat.
Din bugetele totale ale celor 3 scheme de ajutor de

stat pentru restructurare autorizate, n sum de
862.300.000 lei, AVAS a efectuat alocri de ajutor
de stat n valoare de 149.523.212 lei pentru un
numr de 26 de ageni economici.
Volumul total al ajutoarelor de stat pentru
investiii autorizat de Consiliul Concurenei pentru
societile din portofoliul AVAS este n valoare de
69.973.800 lei la un volum total de investiii
asumate de 158.282.268 lei.
Ulterior, a fost nfiinat prin Hotrre de Guvern nr.

495 din 1 iunie 2005, Comitetul interministerial
responsabil cu ndeplinirea angajamentelor
asumate n cadrul negocierilor cu Uniunea
European privind Capitolul 6 "Concuren" sub
preedenia AVAS, care a permis informarea
membrilor executivului cu principalele procese de
privatizare i elementele de ajutor de stat care le
nsoesc.
Aadar, dintr-un volum total al ajutoarelor de stat

notifcate de ctre AVAS i autorizate de Consiliul
Concurenei de 932.273.800 lei, au fost efectuate
alocri de ajutor de stat n valoare 219.497.012
lei, fiind sumate de ctre agenii economici
beneficiari de ajutor de stat msuri de
restructurare/planuri investiionale n valoare de
6.700.134.027 lei (subl.ns.)
Toate acestea autorizri au fost posibile numai
datorit colaborrii dintre specialitii AVAS, ai
Consiliului Concurenei i ai beneficiarilor de
ajutor de stat, respectiv societile comerciale i
cumprtorii pachetelor majoritare i au necesitat
un efort susinut pentru ncadrarea n timpul alocat
finalizrii negocierilor cu Comisia European, pe
capitolul Concuren.
14
3/2009
The structure of the total cost afferent to the

measures within the restructuring programs was as
follows:
stakes), and, on the other hand, that constant

efforts were necessary in this respect, because of
the requirements related to the deadline
established for the finalizing of the negotiations
with the European Union on the Competition
Policy chapter.
measures aimed at the company restructuring

with a percentage of about 25.79% of the total
cost of measures;
measures for the company renewing having a
percentage of about 40.09% of the total cost of
measures;
measures aimed at the company restructuring
related to the environment protection
requirements holding a percentage of about
9.32% of the total cost afferent to the
measures;
financial measures with a percentage of about
24.08% of the total measures cost, without
taking into consideration the State aid.
Other factors with burdening effects on the

authorizing process were the following: the
amending of the Competition Council regulations
has been done in passing, in order to adapt them to
the Community rules; within the State aid granting
process were involved many institutions, while the
institutional structure was frequently changing
(eliminating of the Competition Office; taking over
of the unemployment budget, of the social
insurances budget, and partially of the social health
insurances budget, by the Ministry of Public
Finance, and, respectively, partially, by the AVAS).
From the total budgets of the 3 authorized State aid

schemes for restructuring, which were amounting
862,300,000 lei, AVAS made State aid allocations
of 149,523,212 lei, dedicated to a number of 26
undertakings.
As the information aimed at the issuing of the

authorizing decisions had to be gathered as quickly
as possible, and fully complying with State aid
criteria, a new body, able to ensure the
accomplishment of such requirements, has been
established under the Romanian Competition
Council (RCC) coordination. Named The Interministerial Committee in the State aid field, this
body allowed to carry out, in due time, exchanges
of thoughts and opinions among the
representatives of all the involved institutions, as
well as cases debates aiming to facilitate the
understanding of the way of State aid principles
enforcing.
The total volume of the investment State aids

authorized by the Competition Council for the
companies in the AVAS' portfolio was amounting at
69,973,800 lei, such aids being related to the
assumed investment having a total volume of
158,282,268 lei.
Therefore, from a total volume of State aids
notified by the AVAS and authorized by the RCC
amounting at 932,273,800 lei, AVAS made State
aid allocations of 219,497,012 lei, while the
restructuring measures / investment plans
engaged by the beneficiary undertakings of such
State aid attained a value of 6,700,134,027 lei. (our
underlining)
Subsequently, by the Government Decision no.

495/01.06.2005, another Inter-ministerial
Committee has been established, being entrusted
with the fulfillment of the commitments assumed
within the negotiations with the European Union
regarding the Chapter 6 Competition Policy.
Placed under the AVAS presidency, such
committee was ensuring the informing of the
Government members on the main privatization
processes and on their afferent State aid
components.
It should be mentioned, on the one hand, that the

carrying out of all these authorizing actions was
possible only due to the collaboration among the
experts in the AVAS, in the Competition Council,
and in the State aid beneficiaries (respectively the
companies and the purchasers of the majority share
15
3/2009
AVAS a primit pentru notificrile ntocmite doar 4

decizii negative, dar trebuie s menionm faptul
c toate eforturile depuse nu au putut mpiedica
ca la sfritul anului 2006 s existe cazuri n care,
pentru anumite societi comerciale privatizate
de ctre AVAS conform legislaiei precizate mai
sus, nu s-au emis decizii de ctre Consiliul
Concurenei, fapt care a avut repercursiuni n
procesul de aplicare a prevederilor legale privind
acordarea de faciliti i creaz dificulti n
nchiderea monitorizrilor postprivatizare.
Trebuie, totui, reamintit c exist circa 20.000 de
procese privind privatizrile din ultimii 14 ani.
* *
*
Dup data de 01.01.2007 odat cu aderarea
Romniei la Uniunea European, a devenit direct
aplicabil legislaia comunitar n domeniul
ajutorului de stat, Comisia European fiind singura
instituie cu atribuii n autorizarea ajutoarelor de
stat n rile membre ale Uniunii.
Mecanismul de precosultare iniiat n anul 2008, a

permis informarea Comisiei Europene nc de la
nceputul procesului de ntocmire a actelor
normative sau nainte de demararea procesului de
privatizare, astfel nct s se evite aplicarea
procedurilor speciale, de genul celor derulate
pentru Automobile Craiova sau Tractorul, unde din
lipsa informaiilor de la surs, au fost deschise
investigaii.
Trebuie amintit colaborarea fructoas pe care
instituiile noastre au avut-o pentru finalizarea
investigaiilor deschise de ctre Comisia
European, una pentru derularea procesului de
privatizare a societii comerciale Automobile
Craiova i pentru procesul de lichidare voluntar a
societii comerciale TRACTORUL S.A, precum i
furnizarea de informaii solicitate de experii
europeni ntr-o alt investigaie deschis, pentru
msurile de sprijin financiar de care a beneficiat
societatea comercial Arcelor Mittal Roman.
Este de menionat faptul c, ncepnd cu aceeai

dat, a avut loc o schimbare major n abordarea
privatizrii n Romnia, pe de-o parte datorit
faptului c n procesul de ntocmire a actelor
normative care prevd elemente de ajutor de stat,
ct i n acordarea acestora, Consiliul Concurenei
a participat activ alturi de AVAS, la identificare
modalitilor optime de abordare a regulamentelor
europene i de susinere a soluiilor propuse.
Important de precizat este faptul c de aceast data
furnizorul de ajutor de stat i Consiliul Concurenei
au avut posibilitatea s colaboreze i s prezinte
mpreun Comisiei Europene soluiile gsite pentru
sprijinirea proceselor de valorificate a activelor
statului iniiate de AVAS.
Odat cu aderarea, ne-am confruntat i cu o serie

de plngeri la Comisia European asupra unor
posibile ajutoare de stat ilegale acordate de statul
romn ctre societatea comercial OLTCHIM S.A.
Ramnicu Valcea i societatea comercial S.C.
CHIMCOMPLEX S.A. Borzesti, pentru care experii
AVAS mpreun cu cei ai Consiliului Concurenei
au depus eforturi comune pentru susinerea
opiniilor favorabile implementrii msurilor de
ajutor de stat.
n etapa actual, cele dou instituii sunt implicate
n activitati privind sprijinirea agenilor economici
din portofoliu in vederea depirii perioadei de
criz economic financiar.
16
3/2009
Although, among the decisions issued for the AVAS'

notifications, only 4 decisions were negative ones,
and despite of all the endeavors made with a view
to obtain authorizing decisions, by the end of the
year 2006, certain cases of companies privatized by
the AVAS under the above mentioned legislation
remained without decisions issued by the
Competition Council; such situation had
repercussions on the process aiming the enforcing
of the legal provisions concerning the granting of
facilities, and created difficulties as concerns the
closing of the post-privatization monitoring.
However, it is to be mentioned that a number of 20
0000 lawsuits afferent to the privatizations carried
out during the last 14 years are pending.
* *
*
Since the Romania's accession to the European
Union, on the 1st of January 2007, the community
legislation in the State aid field became directly
applicable in our country, the European
Commission being the single institution
empowered to authorize State aids in all the
Member States of the European Union.
The pre-consultation mechanism, initiated in

2008, allowed the European Commission to be
informed, from the very beginning of the process
aimed at the working out of the normative acts, or
before the starting of the privatization process, so
that enforcing of some special procedures (such as
those carried on for the companies Automobile
Craiova and Tractorul, wherein investigations
have been opened, by the European Commission,
because of the lack of information got from the
source) to be avoided.
In this context, it should be mentioned the fruitful
co-operation of our institutions, carried out, on the
one hand, for the finalizing of two investigations
opened by the European Commission (one of them
for the carrying on of the privatization process of
the company Automobile Craiova, and the other
for the process of voluntary clearing off of the
company Tractorul SA), and, on the other hand,
for the supplying of information requested by the
European experts within another investigation
opened by the European Commission, on the
financial supporting measures awarded to the
company Arcelor Mittal Roman.
It should also be mentioned that, as from the same

date, a major changing took place as concerns the
approach of the privatization in Romania, due to
the active involvement of the RCC both in the
process of drawing up of the normative acts
stipulating for State aid components, and in the
State aid awarding; the Competition Council came
near the AVAS and they worked together in order to
identify the optimal modalities to tackle the
European regulations and to support the proposed
solutions. In this respect, it should be emphasized
that the AVAS, as State aid grantor, and the
Competition Council, as national competition
authority, took the opportunity to co-operate in
order to submit together, to the European
Commission, the solutions jointly agreed upon for
the encouraging of the processes aiming the State
assets recovery, initiated by the AVAS.
Since the accession, we faced also a series of

complaints, submitted to the European
Commission, on certain possible unlawful State
aids granted by the Romanian State towards two
companies (Oltchim SA Rmnicu Vlcea, and
SC Chimcomplex SA Borzeti), both cases being
tackled together by the AVAS and the RCC experts,
which made joint endeavors aimed at the
supporting of favorable opinions on the enforcing
of such State aid measures.
At the present stage, the two institutions are
involved in activities aiming the supporting of
undertakings in the AVAS' portfolio in order to
surpass the economic-financial crisis period.
17
3/2009
Astfel n cadrul AVAS este n curs de finalizare

pachetul de msuri pe care AVAS intenioneaz s-l
promoveze, i care cuprinde att iniierea unor
proiecte legislative, ct i realizarea unor scheme
de ajutor de stat pentru punerea n aplicare a unor
prevederi legale n vigoare.
2. Schema de ajutor de minimis acordat

societilor comerciale din portofoliul AVAS
n vederea maximizrii recuperrii
creanelor preluate de AVAS
Schema are ca baz legal art.12, lit. f) din
Ordonana de Urgen nr. 51/1998, cu
modificrile i completrile ulterioare.
Msurile de ajutor de stat se adreseaz
societilor comerciale care solicit ealonarea
datoriilor preluate de ctre Autoritatea pentru
Valorificarea Activelor Statului i constau din
renunarea statului la dobnda aferent pe
perioada de ealonare a creanelor
fiscale/comerciale/bancare preluate prin acte
normative de ctre AVAS. Msura nu necesit
autorizare, schema a fost avizat de Consiliul
Concurenei i va fi implementat ncepnd
din prima decad a lunii iulie 2009.
n continuare sunt prezentate succint proiectele

AVAS, realizate n colaborare cu experii Consiliului
Concurenei:
1.
A.
n Monitorul Oficial din 10 decembrie 2008 a

fost publicat Ordonana de urgen a
Guvernului nr. 206/2008 privind msurile
de sprijin financiar acordat de AVAS
agenilor economici din portofoliu, n
vederea depirii crizei economice
financiare mondiale, care presupune
acordarea unor ajutoare de stat n cadrul unei
scheme comune AVAS, Ministerul Economiei
si a unor ajutoare individuale care urmeaz a fi
notificate individual la Comisia European.
Actul normativ va fi urmat de 2 hotrri de
guvern :
3. Schema de ajutor de stat acordat n vederea

maximizrii recuperrii creanelor preluate
de A.V.A.S. la societile comerciale din
portofoliul AVAS care presteaz servicii de
interes economic general
Primul act normativ se refer la hotrrea de

guvern pentru instituirea unui sistem de
ajutor de stat privind salvarea agenlor
economici din portofoliul Autoritatii pentru
Valorificarea Activelor Statului i al
Ministerului Economiei, n vederea depirii
efectelor crizei economico financiare
mondiale - autorizat de Comisia European;
Alocrile de ajutor de stat ce vor fi acordate n

cadrul prezentei scheme constau n
compensarea costurilor financiare ale
ealonrii la plat a debitelor preluate de AVAS
n baza diferitelor acte normative la societile
comerciale crora li s-a ncredinat prestarea
de servicii de interes economic general,
respectiv producerea, transportul, distribuia i
furnizarea energiei termice n sistem
centralizat precum i gospodrirea resurselor
de ap, captarea, aduciunea i tratarea apei
reci.
B. Al doilea act normativ se refer la hotrrea de

guvern pentru instituirea unui sistem de
ajutor de stat privind restructurarea
agenlor economici din portofoliul
Autoritatii pentru Valorificarea Activelor
Statului i al Ministerului Economiei, n
vederea depirii efectelor crizei economico
financiare mondiale - aflat n procedura de
autorizare la Comsia European.
18
3/2009
In this respect, it is to be mentioned that AVAS is

finalizing a package of measures intended to be
promoted, which includes both the initiating of
certain normative drafts, and the drawing up of
some State aid schemes aimed at the implementing
of certain in force legal provisions.
2.
The scheme has as legal basis the article 12 (f) in

the GEO no. 51/1998, with subsequent
amendments and completions. The State aid
measures are addressed to those companies
which request the phasing of the debts taken
over by the AVAS, and consist in renunciation
by the State to the interest afferent to the
p h a s i n g p e r i o d f o r t h e
fiscal/commercial/banking debts taken over by
AVAS, on the basis of normative acts. This
measure needs no authorization; the scheme
has been advised by the Competition Council
and shall be implemented as from the first
decade of July 2009.
We briefly present, further on, the AVAS drafts,

worked out together with the Competition Council
experts:
1.
The Government Emergency Ordinance

(GEO) no. 206/2008 concerning the
financial supporting measures awarded by
AVAS to undertakings in its portfolio, in
order to surpass the world economicfinancial crisis (published in the Official
Gazette on 10th of December 2008)
stipulated both the granting of certain State aid
within a joint scheme of the AVAS and of the
Ministry of Economy, and the awarding of
certain individual aids intended to be
individually notified to the European
Commission. The normative act should be
carried on by 2 Government Decisions (GD),
as follows:
A.
The first normative act refers to the

Government Decision aimed at the
establishing of a State aid system
concerning the rescue of undertakings in
the AVAS' portfolio, as well as in the
portfolio of the Ministry of Economy, in
order to outrun the effects of the world
economic-financial crisis already
authorized by the European Commission;
B.
The second normative act is referring to the

Government Decision aimed at the
establishing of a State aid system
concerning the restructuring of
undertakings in the AVAS' portfolio, as well
as in the portfolio of the Ministry of
Economy, in order to surpass the effects of
the world economic-financial crisis under
authorizing procedure within the European
Commission.
The scheme of the de minimis aid granted to

the companies in the AVAS' portfolio, in
order to maximize the recovery of the debts
taken over by AVAS
3. The Scheme of State aid awarded with a view

to maximize the recovery of the debts taken
over by AVAS at the companies in the AVAS'
portfolio which are performing services of
general economic interest
The State aid allocations which should be
granted within such scheme consist in
compensating of the financial costs afferent to
the phasing of the payment for the debts taken
over by AVAS, through different normative
acts, at the companies entrusted with the
performing of services of general economic
interest (namely the producing, transport,
distribution, and supplying of thermal energy,
through a centralized system, as well as the
administering of water resources, and the
drinking water collecting , supply and
treatment).
19
3/2009
Msurile de ajutor de stat se vor acorda n baza

legal a art.12, lit. f) din Ordonana de Urgen
nr. 51/1998, cu modificrile i completrile
ulterioare. Msura nu necesit autorizare,
schema a fost avizat de Consiliul Concurenei
i va fi implementat ncepnd din prima
decad a lunii iulie.
ntorcndu-ne la scopul ntlnirii noastre de astzi,

trebuie salutat iniiativa Consiliului Concurenei
de a nfiina Reeaua Naional de Ajutor de Stat,
prin care se creaz premisele unei mai bune
cunoateri a legislaiei comunitare, accesul la
opiniile i prerile specialitilor din alte instituii cu
privire la propunerile formulate de AVAS, gsind i
rspunsuri la unele ntrebri cu care ne confruntm
n procesul de decizie privind msurile de sprijin
financiar al societilor comerciale care urmeaz s
fie privatizate i n continuare.
4. Schema de ajutor de minimis acordat

agenilor economici din portofoliul AVAS n
vederea recuperrii creanelor preluate
Schema are ca baz legal art. 421, din
Msurile de ajutor de stat se adreseaz agenilor
economici care solicit suspendarea
temporar, total sau parial a executrii silite
prin poprirea conturilor bancare. Suspendarea
executrii silite se face numai dup asumarea
de ctre debitor a plii datoriei ntr-o perioad
scurt de timp. Proiectul schemei se afl n
procedura de consultare i avizare de ctre
Consiliului Concurenei n vederea finalizrii i
punerii n aplicare.
5. Schema temporar de ajutor de stat acordat
agenilor economici din portofoliul AVAS n
vederea recuperrii creanelor preluate.
Schema are ca baz legal art. 421, din
Msurile de ajutor de stat se adreseaz
agenilor economici care solicit suspendarea
temporar, total sau parial a executrii silite
prin poprirea conturilor bancare. Proiectul
schemei urmeaz a fi completat cu observaiile
formulate de ctre experii Consiliului
Concurenei n vederea finalizrii i
transmiterii ctre Comisia European prin
intermediul Consiliului Concurenei, n cadrul
procedurii de prenotificare.
20
3/2009
The State aid measures should be granted

under the article 12 (f) in the GEO no. 51/1998,
with subsequent amendments and
completions (which represents the legal basis
of the awarding of such State aid). The measure
needs no authorization; the scheme has been
advised by the Competition Council and shall
be implemented as from the first decade of July
2009.
4.
be completed with the objections formulated

by the RCC experts, in order to be finalized,
and to be submitted, afterwards, by the
Competition Council, to the European
Commission, under the pre-notification
procedure.
And now, turning back to the aim of our present
meeting, it should be welcome the initiative of the
Competition Council of setting up the National
State Aid Network, which creates the prerequisites
for a better understanding of the community
legislation, for the access to the opinions and views
expressed by the experts in other institutions on the
proposals presented by AVAS, as well as for getting
the needed response to certain questions which are
facing us within the process of making decisions
regarding the financial supporting measures aimed
at the companies.
The Scheme of the de minimis aid granted

to undertakings in the AVAS' portfolio with a
view to recover the debts taken over by
AVAS
This scheme has as legal basis the article 421 in
amendments and completions.
The State aid measures are addressed to the
undertakings which request the total or partial
temporary suspending of the forcible
execution through the banking accounts
stopping. The suspending of the forcible
execution should be done only after the
debtor had engaged the debt payment within
a short period of time. The scheme draft is
under consulting and advising procedure
within the RCC, in order to be subsequently
finalized and implemented.
5.
The Temporary scheme of State aid granted

to undertakings in the AVAS' portfolio
aimed at the recovery of the debts taken
over by AVAS
The scheme has as legal basis the article 421 in
amendments and completions.
The State aid measures are addressed to the
undertakings which request the total or partial
temporary suspending of the forcible
execution through the stopping of the
banking accounts. The scheme draft should
21
3/2009
IEIREA DIN CRIZ - CAZUL ROMNIEI

INTERBELICE
Marcela SLGEAN76
n Romnia interbelic, primele semne ale crizei
economice s-au fcut simite nc din 1928, cnd
unul dintre primele indicii ale agravrii situaiei a
fost severa cdere a preurilor la Bursa de valori din
Bucureti. Prima, i cea mai grav afectat ramur
economic a fost agricultura. Odat declanat
criza, capacitatea rii de a face fa situaiei a fost
mult diminuat att datorit economiei sale
predominant agrare, ct i lipsei de diversificare a
ramurilor economice. Cealalt ramur economic,
industria, a progresat ntr-un ritm constant i relativ
ridicat (anii '20 fiind martorii unei nfierbntate
discuii n jurul problemei industriei i
industrializrii), dar criza economic a ntrerupt
aceast dezvoltare, producia industrial ajungnd,
n 1932, cu 57% mai mic fa de anul 1928. Drept
consecin, venitul naional pe cap de locuitor a
nregistrat o curb descendent, de la 11.000 lei, n
1928, la 4.800 lei n 1932.
1932, Guvernul a redus impozitele pentru rani i

a adoptat un program de conversie a datoriilor. n
acest sens, n perioada 1932-1934 au fost adoptate
patru legi privind datoriile agricole: 1- aprilie 1932,
Legea pentru asanarea datoriilor agricole (Legea
de conversiune a datoriilor agricole), prin care se
reduc datoriile proprietarilor agricoli; 2
octombrie 1932, Noua lege de conversiune a
datoriilor agricole (care suspend aplicarea legii
din aprilie), debitorii urmnd s se neleag cu
creditorii asupra sumelor pe care urmau s le
plteasc, n caz contrar apelndu-se la arbitrajul
instanelor judectoreti; 3 aprilie 1933, Legea
pentru reglementarea datoriilor agricole i urbane
(abrog legile din 1932), prin care conversiunea
datoriilor se nlocuiete cu un moratoriu pe 5 ani, n
cazul neacceptrii acestuia de ctre creditor,
debitorul este obligat s nceap imediat plata
datoriei; 4 aprilie 1934, Legea pentru lichidarea
datoriilor agricole i urbane. Anii care au urmat
crizei au adus o binevenit schimbare a politicii
agrare oficiale. Taxele vamale de export au fost
suprimate (nc din 1931), iar statul a intervenit n
mod activ pentru ncurajarea exportului de
cereale. Aceasta s-a dovedit a fi o politic necesar,
n condiiile acumulrii stocurilor de cereale
nevndute. Primele de export au crescut anual,
cheltuielile fiind apoi recuperate prin taxe de
pine. n anii 1933-1934, statul a efectuat
cumprri masive de cereale pentru a menine
preul, iar dup 1935 a introdus i un pre minimal
de cumprare a produselor agricole, garantnd
astfel un venit stabil productorilor. n 1937, an n
care 75% din proprietile rneti ajunseser s
aib sub 5 ha, s-a adoptat legea privind organizarea
Odat criza instalat, att guvernele anilor 19291932, ct i cele care au urmat, au ncercat varii
msuri pentru combaterea ei. Preocuparea
imediat a fost datoria rneasc, din dorina
autoritilor de a percepe toate taxele datorate de
rani statului. Principalul motiv pentru care
autoritile s-au concentrat mai nti asupra acestei
msuri a fost lipsa de bani, statul fiind nevoit de mai
multe ori, n intervalul 1929-1933, s nu plteasc
salarii diferitelor categorii de bugetari (cunoscutele
curbe de sacrificiu). Msura s-a dovedit a fi un
eec (la un moment dat s-a mers aa de departe
nct s-au scos la licitaie proprietile celor care nui puteau achita datoriile; pe cine nu a sracit
criza, a srcit statul, se spunea n epoc!!!). n
76
Conf. univ.dr. Universitatea Babe-Bolyai Cluj-Napoca.
22
3/2009
ECONOMIC CRISIS AND REESTABLISHING IN

THE INTER-WAR ROMANIA77
Marcela SLGEAN78
The first symptoms of the economic crisis in
Romania, within the inter-war period, were felt
even during the year 1928, when a harsh prices fall
down at the Bucharest Stock Exchange took place,
as one of the first sign of the state worsening. The
agriculture was the first and the most seriously
affected economic branch. Once unleashed the
crisis, our country ability to face such a situation was
much diminished due to the absence of an
economic diversification. The other economic
branch, the industry, was developing in a constant
and rather high rhythm (the 20' decade being the
whiteness of passionate debates on the industry and
industrialization). But the economic crisis
interrupted this development, the industrial output
in 1932 being by 57% lower than that achieved in
1928. Consequently, the national income per
capita registered a descending curve, from 11,000
Lei in 1928, attained the level of 4,800 Lei in 1932.
Once the crisis installed, both the Governments
acting over the period 1929-1932, and the
following made endeavors to apply different
measures in order to discourage it. The immediate
concern was the peasant debt, the authorities
intending at the levying of all the taxes owed by the
peasants towards the State. The main reason
explaining why the authorities decided to focus
their attention on this measure, as the first priority,
was the lack of liquidities, the State being, many
times over the period 1929-1933, in the incapacity
to pay wages to different categories of employees in
the public institutions (the so-called sacrifice
curves). In addition, attempting to accomplish the
recovery of debts, the State made hard efforts,
77
78

Ph.D.lecturer, University of Babe-Bolyai Cluj-Napoca.
23
among them being the selling by auction of the

ownerships belonging to those persons which
couldn't pay their debts (in those times, it was said
that that one which hadn't yet been pauperized by
the crisis, was impoverished by the State!). In 1932,
the Government reduced the taxes on farmers, and
adopted a program aimed at the debts conversion.
In this respect, a number of 4 laws concerning the
agricultural debts were adopted over the period
1932-1934, as follows: 1 - April 1932, Law
concerning the reclaiming of the agricultural debts
(Law for the agricultural debts conversion), which
was reducing the debts of the agricultural owners; 2
October 1932, the new Law for the agricultural
debts conversion (which was postponing the
applying of the law from April): the debtors and the
creditors had to agree upon the amounts intended
to be paid, otherwise they should resort to the
courts arbitration; 3 April 1933, Law for the
settlement of the agricultural and city debts (it
repeals the law from 1932): it was replacing the
debts conversion by a moratorium on 5 years - in
the event of non-acceptance by the creditor, the
debtor should, at once, begin the debt repayment;
4 April 1934, Law for the settling of the
agricultural and city debts. The years following the
crisis brought a welcome changing of the official
agrarian policy. The export customs duties were
abolished (even from 1931) and the State actively
intervened in order to encourage the grains
exportation. Such policy proved to be a needed
one, given the accumulation of unsold stocks of
grains. The bonuses aimed at the exportation have
been yearly increased, the related expenses being
subsequently recovered through taxes on bread.
3/2009
i ncurajarea agriculturii, ale crei prevederi erau

ndreptate tocmai mpotriva pulverizrii
proprietii.
n ceea ce privete industria, aceasta s-a bucurat de
cea mai mare atenie n perioada imediat
urmtoare crizei. ncepnd din 1933, procesul de
cretere a renceput s se fac simit, pe tot
parcursul deceniului patru
industria fiind
beneficiara unor nsemate msuri de protecie i
ncurajare. Aa se face c, din 1934, dezvolatea
industriei a devenit elementul central al
programelor economice, politicienii i economitii
fiind deja convini c ncurajarea, controlul i
protejarea economiei de ctre stat erau
indispensabile, n condiiile n care parte din
experienele particulare se dovediser nepotrivite.
Sprijinul acordat de stat industriei a mbrcat
diferite forme: 1 furnizarea capitalului prin
intermediul propriului su buget; 2 au fost
disponibilizate mari cantiti de capital prin
intermediul noilor societi oficiale de credit i prin
intermediul Bncii Naionale; 3 statul a adugat
noi industrii celor crora le cumpra n mod
obinuit produsele; 4 societilor le-au fost oferite
stimulente speciale pentru a produce bunuri ce nu
se fabricau n ar, n special acelor care ncorporau
tehnologie avansat sau erau capabile s
promoveze industrializarea rii; 5 - au fost reduse
impozitele datorate de intreprinderile care
foloseau materile prime din agricultur; 6 pentru
scderea numrului omerilor, n iulie 1934, a fost
adoptat Legea pentru utilizarea personalului
romnesc n intreprinderi (se cerea folosirea n
toate categoriile de salariai, ntr-o proporie de
80%, personal romnesc); 7- au fost acordate mari
avantaje economice celor care nfiinau
intreprinderi noi (legea din 1936); 8 a fost
ncurajat procesul de concentrare a intreprinderilor
( s-a ajuns ca, n 1936, 13 societi s dein 48%
din totalul capitalului industrial); 9 n vederea
asigurrii supravieuirii unor industrii, n primvara
lui 1937 au fost legalizate cartelurile ( msur prin
care s-a stabilit acordarea monopolului permanent
sau cvasimonopolului n privina anumitor bunuri,
sub supravegherea ministerelor de resort), etc.
24
Capitalul strin a continuat s fie o important surs

de finanare (n industria minier, petrolier,
chimic), dar a nregistrat un declin, de la 70% n
1929, la 40% n 1939. Totui, conform statisticilor
oficiale, n 1938, capitalul britanic reprezenta
13,59% din totalul capitalului existent n economia
romneasc, cel francez era de 9,33%; american
5,88%; italian 3,04%; german 0,60%, urmnd
ca acesta din urm s creasc. n 1939 Germania
devenise cel mai bun client al Romniei,
prelund 32% din exporturile ei i era principalul ei
furnizor, deinnd 39% din totalul importurilor
Romniei.
Perspectiva izbucnirii unui nou rzboi a solicitat
industria romneasc, unele ramuri nregistrnd
dezvoltri spectaculoase. De exemplu, ntre 19301939, producia de laminate a crescut cu peste
81%, cea de maini cu 111,8%, cea de piese de
font i oel cu 258%. n schimb, industria
bunurilor de consum a avut o cretere mai
modest, de exemplu, industria obiectelor de
menaj i mobil a crescut cu numai 39%. Producia
petrolier a cunoscut i ea o curb cresctoare,
atingnd punctul culminant, de aproape 9
milioane tone n 1936, ca apoi s scad la 6,2 mil
tone n 1939.
3/2009
During the years 1933-1934, the State performed

bulky purchases of grains, aiming to maintain their
price, and after 1935 it established a minimum
buying price for the agricultural products, so that to
guarantee stable incomes for the producers. In
1937, when 75% of the peasants' ownerships had a
unitary area of below 5 ha, the Law concerning the
organizing and encouraging of the agriculture was
issued, its provisions aiming to stop the pulverizing
of the property.
(as a result, in 1936, a number of 13 companies

held 48% out of the total industrial capital); 9 the
cartels were legally allowed, in spring 1937, in
order to ensure the survival of certain industries
(this measure stipulated to award a permanent
monopoly or a quasi-monopoly in relation with
certain goods, under the line ministries
supervising), etc.
The foreign capital continued to be an important
financing source (in the mining industry, in the
petroleum industry, and in the chemical industry),
but registered a decline, from 70% in 1929, to 40%
in 1939. However, according to the official
statistics, in 1938, in the total capital existing in the
Romanian economy, the foreign ones held the
following shares: the British capital - 13.59%, the
French one - 9.33%, the American one 5.88%,
the Italian one 3.04%, and the German one
0.60% (the latest having an increasing perspective).
In 1939, Germany became the best customer of
Romania, taking over 32% of its exports, and being
its main supplier, holding a percentage of 39% in
the total importations in Romania.
As concerns the industry, this economic branch

benefited from the highest attention during the
post-crisis period. Starting from 1933, the growth
process resumed, so that the industry was the
beneficiary of several protecting and encouraging
measures over the whole 4th decade. Thus, the
industry developing became, since 1934, the core
element of the economic programs, because the
politicians and the economists were already
convinced about the real need to encourage,
control, and protect the economy by the State,
taking into consideration the fact that, in certain
cases, the private initiatives failed. The support
granted by the State to the industry took different
forms: 1 supplying of the capital through its own
budget; 2 large amounts of capital have been
made available both through the official credit
companies, and through the National Bank; 3
new industries became constant suppliers of goods
for the State bodies; 4 special incentives, aimed at
the manufacturing of new goods, especially of such
goods incorporating high technology or being able
to promote the country industrializing, have been
awarded to the companies; 5 taxes owed by the
undertakings which were employing raw materials
from the agriculture have been diminished; 6 the
Law aimed at the employing of the Romanian
personnel within companies was issued in July
1934 (it stipulated the requirement of using, within
all the categories of employees, of a share of 80% of
Romanian staff; 7 large economic advantages
have been granted to those persons which set up
new companies (the Law in 1936); 8 - the
companies concentration process was encouraged
The perspective of a new war outbreak stimulated

the Romanian industry, certain branches registering
spectacular developing. For instance, over the
period 1930-1939, the output of certain goods
increased as follows: rolled metal goods
increased by over 81%; machines by 111.8%;
(machine) parts in pig or cast iron by 258%.
However, as concerns the consumer goods
industry, this had a modest increase for example,
the industry of objects aimed at the housekeeping
and the furniture increased by only 39%. The
petroleum industry had an increasing curve too,
attaining its acme in 1936 (about 9 mil. of tons),
afterwards decreasing to 6.2 mil. of tons, in 1939.
25
3/2009
Concluzionnd, putem afirma c efectele crizei

economice din perioada interbelic au influenat
gndirea economitilor i politicienilor romni de
atunci, care, chiar dac nu au rezolvat ntrutotul
problemele economice ale Romniei, au avut cel
puin determinarea i curajul de a le nfrunta.
Dependena rii noastre de puterile economice
ale vremii, dependen pus puternic n eviden
mai ales de restriciile impuse de acestea
importurilor de produse agricole din Romnia, a
determinat elita politic i economic romneasc
s susin accentuarea rolului intervenionist al
statului n economie. Acest lucru a fost ilustrat de
finanarea ramurilor economice de la buget, mai
ales a industriei, de asigurarea unei protecii
vamale, de consolidarea infrastructurii
transporturilor, sistemului bancar, comercial i cel
al finanelor publice.
Istoria a demonstrat c, n condiiile interne i
externe vitrege existente, msurile adoptate atunci
au asigurat, pn la sfritul deceniului patru, o
cretere continu a economiei, n ansamblul ei.
26
3/2009
As a conclusion, we could declare that the effects of

the economic crisis during the inter-war period
influenced the economical thinking of the
Romanian economists and politicians at that age,
which had the courage and the ability to face the
economic problems in Romania, even they didn't
succeed to solve them entirely. The dependence of
our country on the industrial powers of the times,
strongly highlighted through the restrictions
imposed by those States to the imports of
Romanian agricultural goods, led the Romanian
political and economical pick and flower to accept
the increasing of the State interventionist role into
the economy. Such thing was illustrated through:
the financing of the economic branches, and
especially of the industry, from the budget; the
ensuring of a customs protection; the consolidating
of the transports, banking, commercial, and
finance systems.
The history proved that, given the internal and
external existing conditions, the measures adopted
at that time ensured, until the end of the 4th decade,
a continuous increase of the economy, as a whole.
27
3/2009
CONCLUZII REZULTATE DIN ANALIZA RAPORTULUI

AJUTOARELOR DE STAT ACORDATE N ROMNIA N
PERIOADA 2005 2007
Daniel DIACONESCU79
Constana DUMITRESCU80
Rezumat
Raportul ajutoarelor de stat reprezint un document destinat asigurrii transparenei i de analiz n materia
ajutorului de stat i prezint o situaie a nivelului, structurii i tendinelor nregistrate n acordarea
ajutoarelor de stat n Romnia n perioada 20052007.
Ajutorul de Stat Naional a avut o tendin de scdere, att n valoare absolut, ct i ca pondere n Produsul
Intern Brut. Astfel, Romnia se ncadreaz n cerinele Comisiei Europene de a acorda ajutoare de stat sub
1% din P.I.B.
Din punct de vedere al instrumentelor financiare, ncepnd cu anul 2005, se observ pentru prima oar
cum cheltuielile bugetare depesc renunrile la scutiri de taxe, impozite i contribuii din partea statului,
reflectnd schimbrile care au avut loc pentru adaptarea companiilor romneti la noile fore concureniale
de pe Piaa Unic European.
Cuvinte cheie: Raport, ajutor de stat, transparen, Romnia.
ncepnd cu anul 2004, Consiliului Concurenei i-a
revenit sarcina ntocmirii i actualizrii anuale a
Inventarului ajutoarelor de stat, care cuprinde
toate schemele de ajutor de stat i ajutoarele de stat
individuale existente definite
conform
prevederilor art. 31 i 32 din Legea nr.143/1999
privind ajutorul de stat, republicat.
Pe baza Inventarului, Consiliul Concurenei

ntocmete un Raport anual privind ajutoarele de
stat acordate n Romnia, care este naintat spre
informare Guvernului Romniei, urmnd de a fi
publicat n Monitorul Oficial i transmis Comisiei
Europene.
Prezentul Raport prezint o situaie a nivelului,
structurii i tendinelor nregistrate n acordarea
ajutoarelor de stat n ara noastr n perioada
20052007, fiind al noulea Raport elaborat de
Romnia i al doilea de la aderarea rii noastre la
Uniunea European.
Dup aderarea Romniei la Uniunea European la

1 ianuarie 2007, competenele Consiliului
Concurenei n domeniul ajutorului de stat s-au
schimbat iar Legea nr. 143/1999 a fost abrogat,
intrnd n vigoare O.U.G. nr. 117/2006 privind
procedurile naionale n domeniul ajutorului de
stat. Conform prevederilor art. 19 (1) i 20 ale
acestei ordonane de urgen, Consiliului
Concurenei i revine n continuare sarcina de a
ntocmi i actualiza anual Inventarul ajutoarelor de
stat.
79
80
Raportul ajutoarelor de stat acordate n Romnia n

perioada 2005 2007 poate fi consultat pe pagina
de internet a Consiliului Concurenei la
urmtoarea adres:
www.consiliulconcurentei.ro/Publicaii/Rapoarte
i aciuni de monitorizare.
Director, Direcia Raportare, Monitorizare i Control Ajutor de Stat.

Inspector de concuren, Direcia Raportare, Monitorizare i Control Ajutor de Stat.
28
3/2009
CONCLUSIONS DRAWN FROM THE REPORT OF

THE STATE AIDS GRANTED IN ROMANIA
BETWEEN 2005 AND 2007
Daniel DIACONESCU81
Constana DUMITRESCU82
Abstract83
The report of the state aids represents a document destined for the assurance of transparency and for
analyze within the state aid field and it presents a situation of the level, structure and trends recorded in
granting state aids in Romania between the years 2005 and 2007.
The National State Aid encountered a descending trend, both in absolute value as well as in weight in the
Gross Domestic Product. Thus, Romania complies itself to the European Commission's requests to grant
state aids under 1% of the GDP.
Concerning the financial instruments, starting with the year 2005, it can be observed for the first time, how
budgetary expenses exceed the state's renouncement of exemptions from duties, taxes and contributions,
reflecting the changes that occurred in order for the Romanian companies to adapt themselves to the
newest competition forces on the European Single Market.
Keywords: Report, state aid, transparency, Romania.
Starting with the year 2004, the Competition
Council was allocated the task of elaborating and
annual updating of the State Aids Inventory, which
comprehends all the existent state aid schemes and
individual state aids, defined according to the
provisions of articles 31 and 32 within Law no.
143/1999 regarding state aid, republished.
After Romania's accession to the European Union,
on the 1st of January 2007, the competences of the
Competition Council within the state aid field have
changed, Law no.143/1999 has been recalled, with
G.E.O. no.117/2006 regarding the national
procedures within the state aid field coming into
force. According to the provisions of art.19 (1) and
20 within this G.E.O., the Competition Council
continues to have the task of elaborating and annual
updating of the State Aids Inventory.
Based on the Inventory, the Competition Council

elaborates an annual Report on state aids
granted in Romania, which is forwarded to the
Government of Romania for information, after that
being published in the Official Monitor and handed
over to the European Commission.
The present Report displays a situation of the level,
structure and direction recorded in granting state
aids in our country between the years 2005 and
2007, being the 9th Report elaborated by Romania
while also being the 2nd one since our country
joined the European Union.
The Report of State Aids granted in Romania
between 2005 and 2007 can be consulted on the
internet webpage of the Competition Council
www.consiliulconcurentei.ro/ Publications/Reports
and monitoring actions.
83
Translated into English by Daniel Diaconescu and Constana
Dumitrescu.
81
Head of Directorate of Reporting, Monitoring and Control of
State Aid.
82
Competition inspector, Directorate of Reporting, Monitoring
and Control of State Aid.
29
3/2009
*
*
Metodologia de ntocmire a raportului este

prevzut n Regulamentul privind
procedurile de raportare i monitorizare a
ajutoarelor de stat, emis de Consiliul
Concurenei.
Astfel, Raportul reprezint un document destinat
asigurrii transparenei n materia ajutorului
de stat i a fost ntocmit pe baza datelor i
informaiilor transmise de ctre toi furnizorii de
ajutor de stat autoriti publice centrale i
locale precum i organisme care administreaz
surse ale statului sau ale colectivitilor locale.
Informaiile transmise cuprind o perioad de 3
ani, respectiv anul de raportare 2007 i 2 ani
anteriori 2005 i 2006 n vederea actualizrii
datelor anterioare.
Raportul cuprinde date i informaii referitoare la
ajutoarele de stat acordate n perioada 2005
2007, grupate pe urmtoarele capitole:
Ajutorul de stat naional;
Ajutorul de stat acordat industriei

prelucrtoare;
Ajutorul de stat acordat industriei

extractive;
Ajutorul de stat acordat ntreprinderilor ce

presteaz servicii de interes economic
general;
Ajutorul de stat acordat pentru fora de

munc;
Ajutorul de stat acordat pentru servicii

financiare, turism, media i cultur;
Ajutoarele de stat regionale;
Ajutoarele de minimis;
Ajutoarele de stat acordate n sectorul
transporturi;
Ajutoarele de stat acordate agriculturii i
pescuitului;
Recuperarea ajutoarelor de stat ilegale.
Raportul este conceput pe structura Scoreboard-ului raportul ajutoarelor de stat elaborat de Comisia
European, prin care aceasta analizeaz evoluia i
nivelul ajutoarelor de stat acordate de Statele
Membre ale Uniunii Europene.
Pentru analiza volumului ajutoarelor de stat acordate
n Romnia, s-au folosit indicatorii macroeconomici
agregai transmii de Institutul Naional de Statistic
(PIB, deflatorul PIB, cursul mediu anual de schimb).
Analiza evoluiei ajutoarelor de stat acordate n
Romnia n perioada 2005-2007 este realizat n
primul rnd pe volumul total anual i apoi pe dou
paliere, respectiv pe obiectivele care s-au avut n
vedere la acordarea ajutoarelor i pe instrumentele
utilizate pentru acordarea acestora.
A. Ajutorul de Stat Naional total (mai puin
agricultura, pescuitul i transporturile) exprimat n
preuri curente prezint o tendin general de
scdere, de la 2,86 mld. RON n 2005 (0,78 mld.
Euro) la 2,24 mld. RON n 2007 (0,67 mld. Euro), cu
o cretere n 2006 la 3,38 mld. RON (0,96 mild.
Euro), dar o scdere drastic fa de 6,51 mld. RON
n 2004 (1,60 mld Euro).
Ca pondere n Produsul Intern Brut, Ajutorul de Stat
Naional a avut o tendin de scdere continu, de la
1,00% n 2005 i 0,99% n 2006 la 0,56% n anul
2007, situaie i mai evident fa de 2,64% in 2004.
30
3/2009
The Report is drafted on the structure of the

Scoreboard the report of state aids elaborated by
the European Commission, through which it
evaluates the evolution and the level of the state
aids granted by Member States of the European
Union.
*
*
The methodology of elaborating the Report is

provided in the Regulation concerning the
procedures of reporting and monitoring state
aids, issued by the Competition Council.
In order to analyze the volume of state aids granted

in Romania, there have been used aggregated
macro-economical indicators sent by the National
Institute of Statistics (GDP, GDP deflator, annual
average exchange rate).
Thus, the Report represents a statistical

instrument, intended for the assurance of
transparency within the state aid field, and it was
elaborated on the basis of the data and information
sent by all the state aid grantors central or local
public authorities as well as the bodies which
administrate state or local collectivities' sources.
The analyze of the evolution of state aids granted

in Romania between 2005 and 2007 is based,
primarily, on the total annual volume and after that,
on two levels, respectively the objectives taken into
consideration when the aid was granted and also
the instruments used in granting the aids.
The information sent comprehends a period of 3

years, respectively the year of report 2007 and the
2 previous years 2005 and 2006 in order to
update the previous data.
A. The National State Aid (except agriculture,

fishery and transport) in terms of current prices,
presents a general descending trend, from 2,86
billion RON in 2005 (0,78 billion Euro) to 2,24
billion RON in 2007 (0,67 billion Euro), with a
rise in 2006 to 3,38 billion RON (0,96 billion
Euro), but with a sharp decrease from the 6,51
billion RON recorded in 2004 (1,6 billion Euro).
The Report contains data and information

concerning state aids granted between the years
2005 and 2007, grouped in the following
chapters:
National state aid;
State aid granted to the processing industry;
State aid granted to the extractive industry;
State aid granted to undertakings for services

of general economic interest (SGEI);
State aid granted for the development of the

labor force;
State aid granted for financial services,

tourism, media and culture;
Regional state aid;
De minimis state aid;
State aid granted in the transportation sector;
State aid granted to agriculture and fishery;
The recovery of the illegal state aids.
As weight in the GDP, the National State Aid had a

continuous descending trend, from 1,00% in 2005
and 0,99% in 2006 to 0,56% in 2007, a situation
even more relevant than 2,64% in 2004.
31
3/2009
Tabelul nr. 1 - Ajutorul de stat identificat la nivel naional

2004
2005
2006
2007
6.510.497,14
2.860.438,24
3.383.648,79
2.248.763,58
Mii Euro *
1.606.256,65
789.426,57
960.036,54
673.827,22
Mii Lei preuri constante 2004**
6.510.497,14
2.549.410,20
2.728.749,02
1.608.557,64
100,00
39,16
41,91
24,71
2,64
1,00
0,99
0,56
Ajutorul de stat naional exprimat n:

Mii Lei preuri curente (exceptnd
agricultura, pescuitul i
transporturile)
Dinamica %
Ponderea ajutorului de stat
naional n PIB % (exceptnd
agricultura, pescuitul i
transporturile)
* calculat pe baza cursului mediu anual al leului n raport cu euro, sursa INSSE;
** s-a utilizat deflatorul PIB pentru transformarea n preuri constante 2004, sursa INSSE (deflator PIB anul 2004=100%;
2005=112,20%; 2006=124,00%; 2007=139,80%);
Graficul nr. 1 Ponderea ajutorului de stat naional n PIB

3,0
2,5
(%)
2,0
1,5
1,0
0,5
0,0
2004
2005
2006
Reducerea ajutorului de stat naional din perioada

2005 2007 fa de 2004 s-a datorat, n principal,
interzicerii acordrii ajutoarelor de stat n
domeniul siderurgic i diminurii considerabile
2007
a ajutoarelor de stat acordate pentru salvarea i

restructurarea agenilor economici aflai n
dificultate.
32
3/2009
Table no. 1 National State Aid identified at national level

2004
2005
2006
2007
Thousand Lei current prices (except

agriculture, fishery and transport)
6.510.497,14
2.860.438,24
3.383.648,79
2.248.763,58
Thousand Euro *
1.606.256,65
789.426,57
960.036,54
673.827,22
Thousand Lei 2004 constant

prices**
6.510.497,14
2.549.410,20
2.728.749,02
1.608.557,64
100,00
39,16
41,91
24,71
2,64
1,00
0,99
0,56
National State Aid expressed in:
Dynamics %
Weight of the national state aid in
the GDP% (except agriculture,
fishery and transport)
* calculated on the basis of the annual average exchange rate of RON against Euro, source INSSE;
** the GDP deflator has been used in order to transform in 2004 constant prices, source INSSE (GDP deflator for 2004=100%,
2005=112,20%, 2006=124%, 2007=139,80%)
Graph no.1 The weight of the national state aid in the GDP
3,0
2,5
(%)
2,0
1,5
1,0
0,5
0,0
2004
2005
2006
The decrease of the national state aid between

2005 and 2007 comparative to 2004 was due,
primarily, to the interdiction of granting state
33
2007
aids in the steel industry and the considerable

diminishment of state aids granted for rescuing
and restructuring of undertakings in distress.
3/2009
Nivelul foarte ridicat nregistrat n anul 2004 s-a

datorat accelerrii procesului de restructurare i
privatizare a companiilor cu capital majoritar de
stat din acea perioad, precum si faptului c a fost
ultimul an n care industria siderurgic din Romnia
a mai primit ajutoare de stat. Acest aspect este
reflectat i de ponderea n ajutorul de stat naional
a ajutoarelor de natura scutirilor i reducerilor la
plata obligaiilor fiscale ale agenilor economici fa
de stat, si a celor de natura scutirilor i reducerilor la
plata majorrilor de ntrziere (ajutoare fiscale),
acordate n procesul de privatizare i de
restructurare.
minimis, ajutoare mai uor de obinut de ctre

agenii economici.
Totui, ponderea ajutoarelor de stat pentru
cercetare, dezvoltare i inovare a crescut n anul
2007 fa de 2005 - la 4,66% fa de 1,92% din
ajutorul de stat naional (exceptnd agricultura,
piscicultura i transporturile).
Dei n anul 2006 valoarea absolut a ajutorului de

stat (valoarea include si ajutoarele de stat pentru
Serviciile de Interes Economic General - SIEG,
precum i ajutoarele de minimis) a crescut fa de
anul 2005 i 2007, valoarea procentual n PIB a
sczut continuu, deoarece PIB-ul a crescut mai
mult n 2006, de la 79 mld Euro n 2005 la 97 mld.
Euro n anul 2006, ajungnd la 121 mld. Euro n
2007 (cretere economic record).
O tendin cresctoare au nregistrat, ns,

ajutoarele destinate industriei crbunelui, de la
14,40% din ajutorul naional (exceptnd
agricultura, piscicultura i transporturile) n 2005 la
16,67% n 2007. Ajutoarele de stat acordate n
anul 2007 includ i ajutorul acordat Companiei
Naionale a Huilei Petroani sub forma subveniilor
directe destinate acoperirii costurilor legate de
producia curent i sub form de subvenii
destinate acoperirii cheltuielilor sociale, ajutor
autorizat de Comisia European.
B. n ceea ce privete analiza pe obiective a

ajutoarelor de stat acordate n Romnia n
perioada 2005 - 2007, s-a constatat o tendin
de aliniere la prioritile stabilite n Planul de
aciune al Comisiei Europene, adoptat n iunie
2005. Astfel:
n anul 2007 obiectivele sectoriale (oel,

construcii navale, autovehicule, fire i fibre
sintetice, industria crbunelui, turism, servicii
financiare, media i cultur) au reprezentat
17,81% din ajutorul naional (exceptnd
agricultura, piscicultura i transporturile), fiind
n scdere fa de 18,05% n anul 2005 i cu o
scdere mai accentuat in 2006 11,61%.
n anul 2007 obiectivele orizontale

(cercetare-dezvoltare, protecia mediului,
ntreprinderi mici i mijlocii, salvare
restructurare, combaterea omajului, alte
obiective) au reprezentat 16,45% din ajutorul
naional (exceptnd agricultura, piscicultura i
transporturile), n scdere fa de anii anteriori
(37,81% n 2006 i 34,03% n 2005). ns,
aceast scdere se poate pune pe seama
faptului c s-au redus ajutoarele de salvare i
restructurare (care implic un grad mai mare de
risc n a distorsiona concurena) precum i a
faptului c ajutoarele destinate IMM-urilor s-au
acordat mai mult sub forma ajutoarelor de
34
n anul 2007 obiectivele regionale au

reprezentat 2,16% din ajutorul naional
(exceptnd agricultura, piscicultura i
transporturile), ponderea lor fiind relativ
constant n perioada analizat, de 2 3%.
n ceea ce privete ajutoarele de stat pentru

prestarea unor Servicii de Interes Economic
General SIEG pentru ap, canal, termoficare
etc, se constat c n toat perioada analizat
2005 - 2007 dein o pondere majoritar n
totalul ajutorului de stat naional (exceptnd
agricultura, piscicultura i transporturile) de
44,44% n 2005, 47,76% n 2006 i 63,58% n
2007.
3/2009
The extremely high level recorded in the year 2004

was due to the acceleration of the restructuring
process and privatization of companies with a
majority of state capital from that period of time,
as well as to the fact that it was the last year in which
the steel industry in Romania was granted any state
aid. This aspect is also reflected by the weight in the
national state aid of aids consisting in exemptions
and allowances for the payment of fiscal obligations
by undertakings towards the state, and also of the
aids consisting in exemptions and allowances from
paying the additional charges for delays in payment
(fiscal aids), granted during the privatization and
restructuring process.
granted more under the de minimis

regulations, aids easier to obtain by the
undertakings.
However, the weight in the national state aid
(except agriculture, fishery and transport) of the
aids for research, development and innovation
grew in 2007 to 4,66% comparative to the one in
2005 (1,92%).
Although in the year 2006, the absolute value of the

state aid (this value also includes the aids for
Services of General Economic Interest SGEI, as
well as the de minimis aids) grew, comparative to
the values of 2005 and 2007, the weight in the
GDP has constantly diminished because the GDP
grew more in 2006, from 79 billion Euro in 2005 to
97 billion Euro in 2006, reaching 121 billion Euro in
2007 (record breaking economic growth).
An increasing trend have encountered, however,

the aids granted for the coal industry, from 14,40%
in the national state aid (except agriculture, fishery
and transport) in the year 2005 to 16,67% in 2007.
The state aids granted in 2007 also include the aid
granted to the National Company of Coal Petrosani
as direct subsidies destined for the covering of the
expenses related to the current production as well
as subsidies destined for the covering of social
expenses, aid authorized by the European
Commission.
B. Regarding the analysis based on objectives of

state aids granted in Romania between 2005 and
2007, there has been noticed a tendency of
alignment to the priorities established in The
Action Plan of the European Commission,
adopted in June 2005. Thus:
in the year 2007, the sector-specific

objectives (steel, shipbuilding, motor vehicles,
synthetic fibers and wires, coal industry,
tourism, financial services, media and culture)
accounted for 17,81% of the national state aid
(except agriculture, fishery and transport),
which is less than the value recorded in 2005
(18,05%), while in 2006 it recorded a sharp
decrease up to 11,61%.
in the year 2007, the horizontal objectives

(research-development, environmental
protection, small and medium enterprises,
rescuing-restructuring , fighting against
unemployment, other objectives) accounted
for 16,45% of the national state aid (except
agriculture, fishery and transport), which was
less than the previous years (37,81% in 2006
and 34,03% in 2005). However, this
reduction could have occurred because the
rescuing and restructuring aids have
decreased (which imply a greater level of risk
in distorting the competition) as well as the
fact that the aids destined for SMEs were
in the year 2007, the regional objectives

accounted for 2,16% of the national state aid
(except agriculture, fishery and transport), their
weight in the analyzed period being relatively
constant (2-3%).
regarding the state aids granted for Services of
General Economic Interest SGEI for water,
sewer, heating and so on, it can be noticed that
during the whole analyzed period, between
2005 and 2007, they hold a majority weight
within the national state aid (except
agriculture, fishery and transport) of 44,44% in
2005, 47,76% in 2006 and 63,58% in 2007.
35
3/2009
Marea majoritate a acestor ajutoare s-a acordat sub

forma subveniilor pentru compensarea pierderilor
ca urmare a prestrii unor servicii de interes
economic general (pentru termoficare), n baza
schemei de ajutor de stat iniiat de Ministerul
Administraiei i Internelor.
ncepnd cu anul 2005 se observ pentru prima

oar cum Cheltuielile bugetare depesc
Renunrile la venituri, rsturnnd situaia
existent pn n anul 2004, cnd renunrile la
venituri de stat erau majoritare cu 82,01%, iar
cheltuielile bugetare reprezentau 17,99%.
Aa cum se observ din analiz, n ceea ce privete

repartiia ajutorului de stat pe obiective, Romnia
se aliniaz tendinei generale la nivelul Uniunii
Europene, de reducere a ajutorului de stat cu
obiective sectoriale, acordat sectoarelor sensibile
din punct de vedere concurenial (siderurgie,
construcii navale, auto) i orientare a ajutorului de
stat ctre obiective orizontale (cercetare dezvoltare, protecia mediului, IMM-uri).
Aceast repartiie a ajutorului de stat naional pe

instrumente financiare n perioada analizat este n
concordan cu cerinele Comisiei Europene de
reducere a ajutoarelor de stat de natur fiscal,
ntruct acestea pot afecta comerul
intracomunitar.
Tendina de scdere intens a ajutoarelor de natur
fiscal reflect aplicarea corect a acquis-ului
comunitar prin compatibilizarea msurilor de
sprijin prevzute n legislaia romneasc.
C. n ceea ce privete repartiia ajutorului de stat

naional pe instrumente financiare utilizate,
structura acestuia este urmtoarea:
*
*
94,89% Cheltuieli bugetare n anul 2007,

categorie n care intr subveniile, alocaiile,
primele, dobnzile subvenionate, alte sume
nerambursabile, precum i participarea cu
capital a statului i conversia datoriilor;
ponderea cheltuielilor bugetare n ajutorul
naional (exceptnd agricultura, piscicultura i
transporturile) a crescut n perioada analizat
(de la 74,41% n anul 2005 i 80,04% n
2006).
n concluzie, anul 2005 marcheaz alinierea

Romniei la politicile i practicile comunitare n
domeniul ajutorului de stat. Este nceputul unei
perioade n care eforturile susinute ale Romniei
pentru respectarea regulilor n materia ajutorului
de stat au condus la situarea rii noastre la un nivel
comparabil cu majoritatea statelor
devenite
membre n cadrul ultimului val de aderare din
2004.
5,11% Renunri la venituri n anul 2007,

categorie n care intr scutirile i reducerile la
plata obligaiilor fiscale, scutirile i reducerile
la plata majorrilor de ntrziere, garaniile de
stat; ponderea renunrilor la venituri n
ajutorul naional (exceptnd agricultura,
piscicultura i transporturile) s-a redus n
perioada 2005 2007 (de la 25,59% n anul
2005 i 19,96% n 2006).
Atingerea acestui obiectiv a fost posibil prin

elaborarea unor politici ndreptate spre acordarea
de ajutoare mai puin distorsionante i mai bine
orientate, prin controlul efectiv i eficient al
ajutoarelor de stat i prin implementarea legislaiei
comunitare n materia ajutorului de stat nc din
perioada de pre-aderare.
36
3/2009
The vast majority of these aids were granted as

subsidies for the compensation of the losses
resulted from performing certain services of general
economic interest (for heating), based on the
scheme of state aid initiated by the Ministry of
Administration and Interior.
Starting with the year 2005, it can be observed

how, for the 1st time, the budgetary expenses
surpass the revenues renouncement, turning
around the situation present until 2004, when the
revenues renouncement were in majority with
82,01%% and the budgetary expenses accounted
for only 17,99%%.
As it can be observed from the analyze, regarding

the repartition of state aid on objectives, Romania
aligns itself to the general tendency within the
European Union, of reducing state aid for sectorspecific objectives, granted to the sensible sectors
in terms of competition (steel, ship-building, motor
vehicles) and orientating it towards horizontal
objectives (research-development, environmental
protection, SMEs).
This repartition of the national state aid on financial

tools during the analyzed period is according to the
European Commission's requests to reduce fiscal
state aids, because these aids can affect trades
within the community.
The intense decreasing trend of fiscal state aids
reflects the correct application of the community
acquis, by harmonizing the supporting measures
provided in the Romanian legislation.
C. Regarding the repartition of the national state

aid on financial tools used, its structure is the
following:
*
* *
In conclusion, the year 2005 marks Romania's
alignment to the community policies and practices
in the state aid field. It is the start of a period in
which Romania's sustained efforts of respecting the
rules in state aid field have led Romania to hold a
comparable level with the majority of countries
which became member states during the last
accession wave in 2004.
94,89% Budgetary expenses in the year

2007, category which includes subsidies,
allowances, bonuses, subsidized interests,
other non-refundable amounts, as well as
equity participations and debt conversions;
the weight of the budgetary expenses in the
national state aid (except agriculture, fishery
and transport) has grew in the analyzed period
of time (from 74,41% in 2005 and 80,04% in
2006).
Reaching this objective was possible through the

elaboration of certain policies targeted towards
granting less distorting and better orientated state
aids, through the effective and efficient control of
state aids and through the implementation of the
community legislation regarding state aid as early as
the pre-accession period.
5,11%% Revenues renouncement in the

year 2007, category which includes
exemptions and allowances from payment of
fiscal obligations, exemptions and allowances
from paying the supplementary charges for the
payment delay, state guarantees; the weight of
the revenues renouncement in the total
national state aid (except agriculture, fishery
and transport) has reduced itself in the period
between the years 2005 and 2007 (from
25,59%%in 2005 and 19,96%%in 2006).
37
3/2009
Aplicarea, anterior aderrii, a acquis-ului

comunitar n domeniile concurenei i ajutorului
de stat a fost necesar pentru adaptarea
companiilor romneti la noile reguli de joc i
pregtirea acestora pentru a face fa forelor
concureniale de pe Piaa Unic European.
Adaptarea la Piaa Unic s-a intensificat ncepnd
cu 1 ianuarie 2007, odat cu aderarea Romniei la
Uniunea European, dat de la care reglementrile
comunitare n domeniul ajutorului de stat se aplic
direct i n totalitate.
Rezultatele acestui proces intens de adaptare la
Piaa Unic nu au ntrziat s apar. n acest sens,
anii 2005, 2006 i 2007 se remarc prin dou
trsturi:
diminuarea Ajutorului de Stat Naional, att

n valoare absolut, ct i ca pondere n PIB
i respectiv,
reducerea ajutoarelor de stat acordate sub
forma facilitilor fiscale susceptibile de a
distorsiona concurena i de a afecta
comerul dintre Romnia i Statele Membre.
Progresele Romniei n acest domeniu se

datoreaz, pe de o parte, faptului c s-a
contientizat importana respectrii regulilor de joc
la nivel european i, pe de alt parte, alinierii
politicii acordrii ajutoarelor de stat la obiectivele
Strategiei Lisabona, elaborat de Comisia
European.
38
3/2009
The application, before de accession, of the

community acquis in the competition and state aid
fields was necessary in order for the Romanian
undertakings to adapt to the new rules of the game
and to prepare them to withstand the competition
forces existent on the Single European Market.
The adaptation to the Single Market intensified
from the 1st of January 2007, once Romania
entered the European Union, moment since when
community regulations in the state aid field have
been applied directly and totally.
The results of this intense process of adaptation to
the Single Market have not failed to show up, the
years 2005, 2006 and 2007 being characterized
by 2 features:
the reduction of the national state aid, both

in absolute value and in weight in the GDP,
and respectively,
the reduction of state aids granted as fiscal
facilities which threatened to distort
competition and to affect the trade between
Romania and the other Member States.
Romania's progress in this field is owed, on one

hand, to the fact that it has been taken into
awareness the importance of respecting the rules at
a European level, and on the other hand, to the
alignment to the objectives of the Lisbon Strategy,
elaborated by the European Commission of the
policy of granting state aids.
39
3/2009
PIAA GRULUI CONCLUZII ALE RAPORTULUI

INVESTIGAIEI UTILE
Maria ALEXANDRU84
Rezumat
n septembrie 2007, Consiliul Concurenei a deschis o investigaie util pentru cunoaterea pieei cerealelor
de panificaie, al crei scop a fost de a pune n eviden organizarea sectorului cerealelor de panificaie,
modul de funcionare i mecanismele acestui sector. Dat fiind caracterul de investigaie util pentru
cunoaterea pieei, acest studiu i-a propus s furnizeze autoritii de concuren i altor instituii ale statului
o imagine asupra mecanismelor concureniale i s reprezinte un instrument de lucru pentru posibilele
analize ulterioare ale sectorului.
Desfurat n perioada septembrie 2007 decembrie 2008, investigaia util s-a concentrat asupra pieei
grului, ntruct aceasta deine o pondere covritoare n sectorul analizat, iar rezultatele obinute pot fi cu
uurin extinse i asupra celorlalte piee ce fac parte, fie n mod tradiional, fie cu caracter de noutate, din
sector. De asemenea, a fost analizat i modul de organizare i funcionare a pieei serviciilor de depozitare a
grului, serviciu care prezint o importan deosebit asupra modului de funcionare a pieei grului, n
special prin influenarea comportamentului ofertei de gru.
Acest demers reprezint o noutate din punct de vedere al obiectului cercetrii, fiind prima investigaie util
pentru cunoaterea pieei desfurat de Consiliul Concurenei asupra unui produs agricol.
Pornind de la aceste considerente, pe parcursul acestui articol vom ncerca s prezentm principalele
concluzii ale investigaiei utile. Menionm c raportul elaborat n urma investigaiei este disponibil, n
versiunea neconfidenial, la urmtoarea adres: www.consiliulconcurentei.ro/publicaii/publicaii
recente/ raportul investigaiei utile pentru cunoaterea pieei cerealelor de panificaie.
Cuvinte cheie: investigaie util, gru, mecanisme de funcionare, pia, concuren.
Grul ocup un loc important n strategia de
asigurare a securitii alimentare ntruct se
caracterizeaz printr-o conservabilitate de lung
durat i prin faptul c se preteaz la realizarea
unei game diversificate de produse de panificaie.
Rolul grului n strategia securitii alimentare este
determinat i de posibilitile de conservare cu
cheltuieli reduse n comparaie cu alte produse
alimentare, nefiind necesare lanuri frigorifice sau
instalaii costisitoare. n plus, grul se poate pstra
timp ndelungat i se poate transporta la distane
mari fr s se altereze.
84
Constituind principala materie prim n fabricarea

produselor de panificaie, grul reprezint cea mai
important cultur n cadrul produciei de cereale.
Astfel, grul este cultivat n peste 100 de ri pentru
a asigura hrana a 35-40% din populaia globului.
Zonalitatea grului n lume este strns legat de
natura solului, cele mai favorabile fiind zonele
cernoziomurilor cu coninut ridicat n humus. De
asemenea, extinderea culturii grului este
influenat n mod direct i de factorii demografici,
mai ales n rile n curs de dezvoltare.
Director al Direciei Cercetare-Sinteze, Consiliul Concurenei.
40
3/2009
WHEAT MARKET CONCLUSIONS OF THE SECTORAL

INQUIRY REPORT
Maria ALEXANDRU85
Abstract86
The Competition Council opened in September 2007 a sectoral inquiry in the market for the cereals used in
the bakery industry, with the purpose of emphasizing the sector's structure, its mechanisms and operating
way. Considering the nature of the sectoral inquiries, this study intends to provide an overview of the
competitions mechanisms for the competition authority and other state institutions and to offer a working
tool for further analyses of the sector.
The sectoral inquiry took place during the period September 2007 December 2008 and focused on the
wheat market because of its overwhelming proportion in the targeted sector and since the results may be
easily extended over the other markets which belong to the sector, either traditionally or as newcomers. The
organizing and operating mode of the wheat warehousing services market has been also analyzed as it has a
peculiar importance for the functioning of the wheat market, especially by the influence over the wheat offer
conduct.
This study is a novelty considering the object of the research, being the first sectoral study developed by the
Competition Council for an agricultural product.
Considering the above, in this article we will attempt to present the main conclusions of the sectoral study.
The non-confidential version of the sectoral inquiry report is available at the following web address:
www.consiliulconcurentei.ro/publicaii/publicatii recente/ raportul investigaiei utile pentru cunoaterea
pieei cerealelor de panificaie.
Keywords: sectoral inquiry, wheat, mechanisms, market, competition.
The wheat has an important place in the strategy to
ensure the food security as it is characterized by
long term preservation and by its usage for a
diversified portfolio of bakery products. The role of
the wheat in the food security strategy is also
determined by the cheap preservation possibilities
as opposed to other food products, because it does
not require cooling chains or expensive
equipment. Moreover, wheat may be stored long
term and may be transported over long distanced
without alteration risks.
85
86
As it is the main raw material for the manufacturing

of bakery products, wheat represents the most
important crop in the cereals production. As such,
wheat is grown in over 100 countries to ensure
food for 35-40% of the world population. The
wheat regionalization in the world depends largely
on the soil nature, the most favorable areas being
the ones with black soil, with a high humus
proportion. As well, the spread areas where wheat
is cultivated is directly influenced by demographic
factors, especially in the developing countries.
Head of Research and Synthesis Directorate, Competition Council.

Translated into English by Andreea Enache.
41
3/2009
Din perspectiva scopului urmrit n cadrul

investigaiei utile, raportul elaborat de autoritatea
de concuren a pus n eviden o serie de
caracteristici i trsturi specifice, redate succint
mai jos.
agricole, care se concretizeaz n existena unui

numr foarte mare de exploataii agricole
individuale (de dimensiuni foarte mici). Aceast
frmiare are un impact direct asupra eficienei
i profitabilitii n sector.
Att n sectorul grului de panificaie, ct i n

sectorul serviciilor de depozitare a grului,
preul se formeaz liber pe pia, ca rezultat al
interaciunii ntre cerere i ofert, fr ca statul
s intervin direct n mecanismul de formare a
preurilor. Totui, pe piaa serviciilor de depozitare
a grului au existat, n anii 2004 i 2005, dou
intervenii publice n formarea preurilor,
intervenii facilitate de mecanismul subvenionrii
costurilor aferente depozitrii grului. Considerm
c astfel de intervenii publice pot produce efecte
de aliniere a preurilor purttorilor ofertei, motiv
pentru care apreciem drept pozitiv faptul c astfel
de intervenii nu au fost reluate (n aceast form)
ulterior anului 2005.
O alt trstur a pieei grului este reprezentat

de asimetria puterii de negociere ntre
productorii agricoli individuali, n calitate de
purttori ai ofertei, i purttorii cererii pe pia,
asimetrie cu o influen semnificativ asupra
formrii preurilor. Situaia este relativ similar i
pe piaa serviciilor de depozitare a grului, pia pe
care micii productori agricoli au calitatea de
purttori ai cererii de astfel de servicii. Cu toate
acestea, nu considerm necesar intervenia
public pentru atenuarea acestei asimetrii (att
timp ct nu se constat existena unor practici
anticoncureniale), avnd n vedere c singurele
rezultate plauzibile ale unei astfel de intervenii
ar fi denaturarea concurenei i ncetinirea sau
chiar blocarea procesului de consolidare a
proprietii agricole i de eficientizare a
activitii.
Analiza pieei denumit generic a produciei i

comercializrii grului de panificaie nu a
identificat bariere semnificative la intrare. Totui,
se poate afirma c pe aceast pia se
nregistreaz importante economii de scar i,
de asemenea, c operatorii economici care
integreaz mai multe tipuri de activiti specifice
sectorului beneficiaz de avantaje competitive
semnificative datorate acestei diversificri a
activitii. n general, n perioada analizat,
operatorii integrai i-au desfurat activitatea n
condiii de profitabilitate sau, cel puin, au avut
posibilitatea de a-i diminua pierderile, att
datorit dimensiunii activitii, care a condus la
costuri unitare mai reduse, n special prin
diminuarea costurilor de tranzacionare, ct i
datorit posibilitilor de a echilibra, la nevoie,
pierderile realizate n cadrul unei activiti cu
profiturile realizate n cadrul alteia.
Nu n ultimul rnd, piaa produciei i

comercializrii grului n Romnia pare a fi
afectat ntr-o msur semnificativ de existena
unei piee negre, ponderea ridicat a acestei
piee fiind invocat de muli participani la pia.
Apreciem c, pentru limitarea i eradicarea
acestui fenomen, care distorsioneaz
funcionarea corect a pieei, este necesar
identificarea de ctre autoritile de resort a
unor metode mai eficiente de control a
produciei i tranzaciilor cu gru, n vederea
fiscalizrii urgente.
n mod firesc, formarea preurilor pe piaa grului
de panificaie este puternic influenat de situaia
pieelor internaionale i de cotaiile nregistrate pe
pieele bursiere externe.
O caracteristic definitorie a pieei grului de

panificaie, chiar a ntregului sector agricol din
Romnia, o reprezint frmiarea proprietii
42
3/2009
Considering the purpose of the sectoral inquiry, the

report issued by the competition authority
highlighted a series of characteristics and specific
features, briefly stated below.
Another feature of the wheat market is the

asymmetry of bargaining power between
individual producers, as bearers of supply, and
demand holders on the market, asymmetry with
a significant influence on the price formation.
The situation is roughly the same on the wheat
warehousing services market, where there small
farmers have the status of demand holders for these
services. However, we do not consider necessary
the public intervention in order to lessen this
asymmetry (as long as there is no existence of
anticompetitive practices), because the only
plausible effects of such interventions would be
the distortion of competition and the slowing
down or even the blocking of the agricultural
property consolidation processes and the
processes of activity efficiency.
In the bakery wheat sector, as well as in the

wheat warehousing services sector the price is
freely established in the market, as a result of the
intersection between demand and offer, without
a direct intervention of the state in the price
mechanism.
Nevertheless, in the wheat
warehousing services market, in 2004 and 2005
two public interventions took place in the prices
establishment, facilitated by the subsidizing
mechanism of the wheat warehousing costs. We
believe that such public interventions may
generate alignment effects of the offer holder's
prices, and therefore we appreciate as positive the
fact that such interventions did not reoccur (in this
form) after 2005.
Not finally, the bakery wheat production and

trade market in Romania seems to be affected to
a significant extent by the existence of a black
market, whose large share was claimed by many
market participants. We appreciate that, to limit
and to eradicate this phenomenon, which
distorts the proper functioning of the market, it's
necessary that the relevant authorities to identify
more efficient control methods of wheat
production and transactions in, for urgent
fiscalization.
The market analysis, known as the bakery wheat

production and trade market, did not identify
significant entry barriers. However, we may say
that important economies of scale are being
recorded in this market and that the economic
operators who are integrating several types of
sector's specific activities benefit of significant
competitive advantages due to their
diversification. Generally during the analyzed
period, the integrated operators performed their
activity recording profits or, at least, had the
possibility to reduce their losses due to the
proportions of their activity, which led to lower cost
per unit, especially by reducing the transactions
costs, as well as due to the possibility of balancing,
when necessary, the losses in one activity with the
profits recorded in another one.
Naturally, price formation on bread wheat market is

strongly influenced by the situation in international
markets and by the quotations recorded on the
foreign stock markets.
A defining feature of the bakery wheat market

and perhaps even of the whole agricultural sector in
Romania, is the fragmentation of agricultural
property, which is reflected in the existence of a
very large number of individual farms (very small
size). This fragmentation has a direct impact on
the sector efficiency and profitability.
43
3/2009
O influen asupra preurilor pe piaa grului de

panificaie o are i intervenia indirect a statului,
care poate disponibiliza cantiti de gru din
Rezerva de Stat, fie pentru mprosptarea
stocurilor, fie pentru acoperirea deficitului de gru
nregistrat pe pia n anumite momente. Apreciem
c, dei acoperit de cadrul legislativ specific,
disponibilizarea de gru din Rezerva de Stat,
prin mecanismul mprumutului de gru ctre
operatori selectai prin negociere direct,
distorsioneaz concurena, ndeosebi prin
crearea unui avantaj de natur economicofinanciar operatorului selectat. Aceasta n
special n condiiile n care mprumutul se face n
perioada de final a anului agricol, cnd preul
atinge niveluri ridicate, iar restituirea grului se
realizeaz la nceputul anului agricol urmtor, cnd
preul tinde a fi minim. Ca atare, se recomand ca
alternativ utilizarea mecanismului de vnzarecumprare a grului pentru mprosptarea
rezervei prin metode deschise, transparente i
nediscriminatorii.
Apreciem ca dezirabil identificarea de ctre

MAPDR a unor soluii de sprijinire a funcionrii
acestui fond, avnd n vedere c tranzacionarea
bursier a grului ar avea ca efect att facilitatea
comercializrii acestui produs, ct i asigurarea
unui grad mai mare de transparen, prin
nlesnirea accesului la informaii privind
evoluia preurilor pentru participanii pe pia.
n ceea ce privete evoluia preurilor la gru, s-a
constatat c situaia nregistrat n anul 2007,
cnd s-au atins maxime istorice, a avut un caracter
preponderent conjunctural, fiind legat intrinsec
de nivelul extrem de redus al produciei pe plan
mondial. Totui, pe parcursul perioadei 20002007, se poate constata o tendin general de
majorare a preului acestui produs agricol,
OCDE i FAO previzionnd chiar meninerea
acestei tendine pentru perioada 2008-2017.
Implicaia major a acestei tendine ascendente a
preurilor o reprezint necesitatea de a continua
reformele demarate la nivelul PAC, pentru
decuplarea politicii agricole de nivelul i structura
produciei i orientarea preponderent a politicii
agricole spre asigurarea unui nivel rezonabil al
veniturilor la nivelul fermierilor.
n ceea ce privete tranzacionarea grului pe

piaa bursier din Romnia, s-a constatat c
aceasta este mpiedicat de inexistena unui
sistem funcional de garantare a certificatelor de
depozit. Situaia este cauzat de lipsa unui capital
iniial acoperitor al Fondului de garantare pentru
certificatele de depozit. Certificatul de depozit
reprezint titlu de credit negociabil, reprezentativ
al mrfii, la ordin sau la purttor, transmisibil fr
limite sau restricii. n aceste condiii, certificatul de
depozit constituie o valoare mobiliar, care st la
baza tranzacionrii grului, n special pe piaa
bursier, dar i n afara acesteia. n condiiile
nefuncionrii efective a Fondului, aceast
valoare mobiliar nu prezint suficiente garanii
cu privire la existena efectiv a cantitilor de
gru tranzacionate, la calitatea specificat, ceea
ce submineaz ncrederea potenialilor
participani la operaiune i limiteaz
comercializarea grului doar la operaiunile ce
implic prezena efectiv a cantitilor
tranzacionate.
Din perspectiva modului de definire a pieei

relevante, analiza efectuat relev criteriile i
aspectele specifice de care s-ar putea ine cont
pentru definirea pieei relevante n cazurile de
nclcare a prevederilor Legii concurenei nr.
21/1996, republicat. Anumite caracteristici
specifice ale produsului ar putea justifica definirea
unor piee relevante distincte ale grului comun i
grului dur, n funcie de caracteristicile individuale
ale cazului analizat.
44
3/2009
The indirect intervention of the state, which can

free up quantities of wheat from the State Reserve
either for stocks refreshing or to cover the deficit
recorded on the market, influences prices on the
bread wheat market. We appreciate that even if it is
covered by the specific legislative framework, the
wheat disposal from the State Reserve, through
the mechanism of wheat loan to operators
selected by direct negotiation, distorts
competition, especially by creating an economic
and financial advantage to the selected operator.
This especially because the loan is made during the
final of the agricultural year, when prices reach high
levels and the wheat refund is made at the
beginning of the next agricultural year, when the
price tends to be minimal. Therefore, we
recommend as alternative the use of wheat sale
mechanism for the reserve refreshing through
open, transparent and non discriminatory
methods.
We consider as desirable the identification by

MAFRD of solutions to support the functioning
of this fund, because the stock exchange trading
of wheat would have as effect the easy marketing
of this product and the assurance of greater
transparency, by increasing the access to
information on price developments for market
participants.
As regards the price developments for wheat, it
was found that the situation in year 2007, when
they reached the historical maximum, has a
predominantly short term nature, and is
intrinsically linked to extremely low levels of
worldwide production. However, during 20002007, it was found a general trend of increase in
price of this agricultural product, and OECD and
FAO predicts maintain of this trend for the
period 2008-2017. Major implication of this
upward trend of prices is the need to continue
reforms initiated in the CAP, for decoupling the
agricultural policy by production level and
structure and for the predominant orientation of
agricultural policy to ensure a reasonable level of
income to the farmers.
As regards the wheat trading on the Romanian

stock market it has been found that it is hampered
by the absence of a functional system of
guarantee of deposit certificates. The situation is
caused by lack of covering initial capital of
Guarantee Fund for certificates of deposit.
Certificates of deposit are a negotiable bond,
representative of the goods, to order or bearer,
transferable without limits or restrictions. In these
circumstances, the certificate of deposit is a security
which is the basis of wheat trading, especially on
the stock market, but also beyond. With the failure
of the Fund, such security does not provide
sufficient guarantees regarding the real
existence of quantities of wheat traded at the
specified quality, which undermines the
confidence of potential participants in the
operation and limits the wheat
commercialization only at the transactions
which involve presence of traded quantities.
From the perspective of how to define the

relevant market, analysis reveals specific criteria
and issues that could be took into account for
definition of relevant market in cases of
infringement of the Competition Law no.
21/1996, republished. Certain characteristics of
the product could justify the definition of distinct
relevant markets for common wheat and durum
wheat, according to individual characteristics of the
case examined.
45
3/2009
Tr e b u i e r e m a r c a t c , n c o n d i i i l e
substituibilitii extrem de reduse a grului de
panificaie, eventualele nelegeri asupra
preurilor pot produce efecte de amploare
asupra pieei respective i a celor din aval. Aceste
efecte pot fi amplificate i de asimetria preurilor,
caracteristic pieelor agricole, inclusiv pieei
produciei i comercializrii grului, care se
manifest prin majorarea preurilor produselor din
aval odat cu majorarea preului grului, dar i prin
meninerea la cote ridicate a preului produselor
din aval n cazul diminurii preului grului.
distinct, sau ar putea fi inclus n piaa relevant

a serviciilor de depozitare a cerealelor, avnd n
vedere c, cel puin din punct de vedere al
ofertei, serviciile sunt substituibile. n oricare
dintre situaii, zona geografic n care se
manifest concurena este reprezentat de o
zon circular n jurul fiecrui depozit, cu o raz
evaluat de purttorii ofertei a fi ntre 25 i 60 de
kilometri. i n acest caz poate fi avut n vedere, n
funcie de circumstanele analizate, definirea unei
piee relevante a produsului n ceea ce privete
exploataiile agricole individuale.
De asemenea, n special datorit asimetriei n

puterea de negociere i a comportamentului
diferit al exploataiilor agricole individuale fa
de productorii instituionali, n anumite
circumstane poate fi justificat segregarea
pieei relevante a produsului n funcie de
diversele categorii de ofertani, respectiv
considerarea unei piee relevante distincte a
primei comercializri a grului de panificaie.
Nu putem ncheia prezentarea acestor concluzii,

fr a specifica faptul c autoritatea de concuren
a iniiat un proces de dezbatere public a acestui
raport i a sesizat factorii decideni cu privire la
problemele identificate. Soluionarea acestora ine
n primul rnd de necesitatea respectrii i aplicrii
legislaiei n vigoare, precum i de monitorizarea
permanent a sectorului cerealelor de panificaie,
n vederea evitrii manifestrii unor posibile
distorsiuni pe pia.
Nu n ultimul rnd, studiul ntreprins demonstreaz

faptul c piaa serviciilor de depozitare a grului
se caracterizeaz prin existena unor bariere
legale semnificative la intrarea pe pia, bariere
justificate, pe de o parte, de necesitatea
asigurrii unui serviciu de calitate i, pe de alt
parte, de importana acestui serviciu n
tranzacionarea grului, avnd n vedere c
certificatele de depozit sunt titluri negociate pe
piaa bursier.
Pe piaa serviciilor de depozitare a grului
acioneaz un numr relativ mare de operatori dar,
n acelai timp, se remarc i existena unor zone
ale teritoriului Romniei acoperite de un singur
operator economic. n ceea ce privete tarifele
practicate pe aceast pia, perioada analizat pare
a fi caracterizat de o uoar tendin ascendent.
Legat de modul de definire a pieei relevante, n
funcie de circumstanele analizate, serviciul de
depozitare a grului ar putea fi definit ca o pia
46
3/2009
It should be noted that under the extremely low

substitutability of wheat bread, the possible
agreements on price may produce large effects
on that market as well as those downstream.
These effects can be amplified by price asymmetry,
characteristic of agricultural markets, including
wheat production and trade market, which is
manifested by increasing prices of downstream
products at the same time with the increase in
wheat prices, but also by maintaining the high rates
of product price in the downstream if wheat prices
decline.
geographical area in which competition appear

is represented by a circular area around each
warehouse, with an radius estimated by the
bearers of supply between 25 and 60 km. And in
this case, depending on the circumstances under
consideration, can be considered the definition of a
relevant product market in terms of individual
farms.
We can not conclude the presentation of these
findings, without specifying that the competition
authority has initiated a process of public
discussion of the report and has informed the
decision-makers of the identified problems. Their
solving depends primarily by the need to respect
and to implement the existing legislation and by the
ongoing monitoring of grain bakery sector in order
to avoid occurrence of possible market distortions.
Also, mainly due to asymmetry in negotiating

power and different behavior of individual
holdings to institutional producers, in certain
circumstances can be justified the segregation of
the relevant product market according to
different categories of bidders, respectively the
consideration of a separate relevant market for
first trading of wheat bread.
The study undertaken shows that wheat
warehousing market is characterized by the
existence of significant legal barriers to market
entry. These are justified, on the one hand, by the
need to ensure quality service and, on the other
hand by the importance of the service in wheat
trading, given that certificates of deposit are
securities traded on the stock market.
In wheat warehousing services market act a
relatively large number of operators, but at the
same time there are areas of Romanian territory
covered by a single operator. Regarding tariffs in
this market, the period under review appears to be
characterized by a slight upward trend.
On how to define the relevant market, depending
on the circumstances under consideration, the
wheat warehousing service could be defined as a
distinct market, or could be included in the
relevant market for grain warehousing services,
given that, at least in terms of supply, these
services are substitutable. In any case, the
47
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EVOLUII RECENTE N POLITICA SUA N DOMENIUL

CONCURENEI
Cristina HAVRI87
Rezumat
n acest articol vom analiza evoluiile recente ale politicii americane n domeniul concurenei,
implementarea acesteia de ctre instituiile cu atribuii n acest domeniu (Direcia Antitrust a
Departamentului american de Justiie i Comisia de Comer Federal), precum i interpretarea legislaiei de
ctre Curile de Justiie americane. Termenii si principali sunt cuprini n Actele Sherman, Clayton i Actul
Comisiei Federale de Comer de la sfritul secolului XIX i nceputul secolului XX i au vizat, n general, trei
componente: nelegerile dintre firme care au n vedere restrngerea comerului, abuzul de poziie
dominant, controlul operaiunilor de concentrare sau al fuziunilor. Totodat, reglementrile n domeniul
concurenei au evoluat prin intermediul unor decizii ale Curilor de Justiie americane prin care s-a
interpretat legislaia, precum i ca urmare a prioritilor i liniilor directoare ale ageniilor de implementare.
Cuvinte cheie: politica SUA n domeniul concurenei, sistem dual de implementare, Comisia Federal de
Comer, Direcia Antitrust a Departamentului de Justiie american, Comisia de Modernizare a Legislaiei,
amenzi penale.
Prima lege american n domeniul concurenei

adoptat la nivel federal, respectiv Actul Sherman
din 1890 a aprut ntr-un context istoric special,
acela al unei perioade caracterizate de un proces
de cretere a numrului de concentrri industriale
sau a trusturilor n diferite sectoare, ca cel al
petrolului, siderurgic sau industriei electrice,
procesare carne, zahr, plumb, tutun i praf de
puc i pe fondul depresiunii economice severe
din anii 1880. Astfel, organizaiile de fermieri,
sindicatele, precum i micii ntreprinztori s-au
unit pentru a promova o lege care s i protejeze de
puterea economic a acestor noi trusturi. Exist
dou seciuni importante ale Actului Sherman.
Seciunea 1 interzice contractele, combinaiile i
conspiraiile de restricionare a comerului ntre
statele federale sau cu state tere. Seciunea 2
interzice monopolizarea, ncercrile de
monopolizare, i combinaiile sau conspiraiile de
monopolizare a oricrei pri de comer ntre state,

i cu state tere. Penalitile pentru cei care ncalc
legea pot fi nchisoare i/sau amenzi.
A fost creat o agenie de implementare a legii
Sherman care s supravegheze punerea n aplicare
a acesteia, respectiv Direcia Antitrust a
Departamentului american de Justiie88. Aceast
Direcie ancheteaz nclcrile grave ale legilor n
domeniul concurenei prin acionarea n justiie
care poate conduce la perceperea de amenzi
ridicate i la condamnarea la nchisoare a
acuzailor. Este ns ameninarea potenial a
firmelor i indivizilor cu amenzi penale federale i cu
procese private pentru daune cea mai puternic
modalitate de descurajare mpotriva nelegerilor?
Se pare c da, potrivit unor studii ca cele ale lui
Block, Nold i Sidak89. In ultima perioad, Direcia
87
Cristina Havri,ataat pe probleme de energie n cadrul
Reprezentanei Permanente a Romniei pe lng Uniunea
European;doctorand n Relaii Economice Internaionale la
Academia de Studii Economice din Bucureti;
88
Site-ul Directiei Antitrust a Departamentului de Justiie este
http://www.usdoj.gov/atr/
89
Block, M.K., Nold, F.C., Sidak, J.G. (1981), The Deterrent Effect
of Antitrust Enforcement, Journal of Political Economy 89, June,
pp. 429-45.
48
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RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN THE UNITED STATES

COMPETITION POLICY
Cristina HAVRI90
Abstract91
In this article, we will analyse the recent developments of the American competition policy, its
implementation by the institutions having competences in this field (Antitrust Division of the Department of
Justice and Federal Trade Commission), as well as the interpreting of legislation by the American Courts of
Justice. Its main terms are included in the Sherman Act, Clayton Act and the Federal Trade Commission Act
adopted at the end of the XIXth century and the beginning of XXth century. They aimed, basically, at
regulating three components: restrictive practices, abuse of dominant position, control of concentration
and of mergers. At the same time, the regulations in the field of competition have evolved through decisions
of the American Courts of Justice that interpreted the legislation, as well as through priorities and guidelines
of the implementing agencies.
Keywords: US competition policy, dual system of implementation, Federal Trade Commission, Antitrust
Division of the American Department of Justice, Antitrust Modernization Commission, penal fines.
The first American piece of law in the field of

competition, adopted at federal level, the
Sherman Act of 1890, was issued within a special
historic context, that of a period characterised by a
process of increased number of industrial
concentration or of trusts in different fields, such as
oil, steel, electricity, meat processing, sugar, lead,
tobacco, gunpowder, as well as of a severe
economic depression in the 1880s. Thus, the
farmer's organizations, trade unions, as well as the
entrepreneurs were united to promote a law to
protect them from the economic power of those
new trusts. There are two important sections of the
Sherman Act. Section 1 prohibits the contracts,
combinations and conspiracies of restricting the
trade between the federal states or with other
states. Section 2 forbids the monopolization, the
attempts to monopolize, as well as the
90
Cristina Havri is energy attach with the Romanian Permanent
Representation to the European Union and a PhD candidate at
the Faculty of International Economic Relations at the Academy
of Economic Studies in Bucharest.
91
Translated into English by Cristina Havri.
combinations or conspiracies to monopolize of any

trade part between the states, or with other states.
The penalties for those who break the law can be
prison and/or fines.
An implementing agency of the Sherman Act has
been created in order to supervise its application,
respectively the Antitrust Division of the
Department of Justice92. This Division investigates
the serious infringements of the competition laws
by bringing them to justice, which could lead to
collecting high fines and sentencing the accused
to jail. Is the potential threat of the firms and of
individuals with federal penal fines the strongest
deterrent against agreements? It appears to be so,
according to some studies of Block, Nold and
Sidak93. Lately, the Antitrust Division of the
92
The website of the Antitrust Division of the American
Department of Justice is http://www.usdoj.gov/atr/.
93
Block, M.K., Nold, F.C., Sidak, J.G. (1981), The Deterrent
Effect of Antitrust Enforcement, Journal of Political Economy 89,
June, pp. 429-45.
49
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Antitrust a Departamentului de Justiie a ncercat s

consolideze aceast descurajare prin impunerea
unor amenzi mai mari pe corporaii pentru fixarea
preurilor i prin extinderea folosirii programului de
clemen pentru firmele care i dezvluie rolul
jucat ntr-o conspiraie i coopereaz cu guvernul.
Dup 1994, nclcrile actului Sherman au condus
la amenzi penale n valoare de cel puin 10
milioane dolari pentru fiecare caz i 11 amenzi n
valoare de cel puin 100 milioane dolari fiecare
caz. Cea mai mare amend, n valoare de 500
milioane dolari a fost cea impus firmei F.
Hoffmann-La Roche. In ceea ce privete pedeapsa
cu nchisoarea aplicat indivizilor care au nclcat
legislaia n domeniul concurenei, n 2007, 87%
dintre acuzai n procesele intentate de Direcia

Antitrust a Departamentului de Justiie au fost
94
condamnai la nchisoare .
ncepnd cu anul 2000, mai mult de 150 indivizi au
fcut nchisoare ca urmare a unei sentine n
cazurile intentate de Direcia Antitrust a
Departamentului de Justiie. Remarcm faptul c
aceast infracionalizare a comportamentului
indivizi reprezint una din caracteristicile
modelului american de aplicare a politicii n
domeniul concurenei, att contravenional, prin
amenzi, ct i penal, prin impunerea unor termene
de detenie.
Tabelul nr. 1. Investigaii iniiate de Departamentul de Justiie

Investigaii
iniiate
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
74
85
84
95
137
10
10
13
11
Sherman cap.
1 -restrngerea
comerului
Sherman cap.2
- Monopol
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
79
118
104
77
76
Tabelul nr. 2. Amenzi n valoare de peste 100 milioane de dolari percepute de

Departamentul american de Justiie, Direcia Antitrust95
Domeniul de
activitate
Firma incriminat
Valoarea amenzii
(milioane dolari)
F. Hoffmann -La Roche, Ltd. (1999)
Vitamine
500
Korean Air Lines Co., Ltd. (2007)
Transport aerian
300
British Airways (2007)
Transport aerian
300
Samsung Electronics Company, Ltd.;Samsung

Semiconductor, Inc. (2006)
Semiconductori
300
BASF AG (1999)
Vitamine
225
Hynix Semiconductor, Inc. (2005)
Semiconductori
185
Infineon Technologies AG (2 004)
Semiconductori
160
SGL Carbon AG (1999)
Electrozi de grafit
135
Mitsubishi Corp. (2001)
Electrozi de grafit
134
UCAR International, Inc. (1998)
Electrozi de grafit
110
Archer Daniels Midland Co. (1996)
Acid citric i lysin
100
Criminal Enforcement Program,p.12, discurs disponibil la adresa:

http://www.usdoj.gov/atr/public/speeches/232716.pdfop.cit.
95
Scott Hammond, op.cit., p. 12.
94
Discursul lui Scott Hammond, asistent adjunct al Ministrului
Justiiei, responsabil cu implementarea n materie penal a
legislaiei n domeniul concurenei, cu titlul Recent
Developments, Trends, and Milestones in the Antitrust Division's
50
3/2009
Department of Justice has tried to strengthen this

deterrence by imposing increasing fines for
corporations in order to fix prices and to extend the
use of leniency programme for the companies that
disclose their part played in a conspiracy and
cooperate with the government. After 1994, the
infringements of the Sherman Act led to penal
fines in the amount of at least 10 million dollars for
each case and 11 fines in value of at least 100
million dollars for each case. The highest fine, in
value of 500 million dollars was that imposed to
Hoffmann-La Roche. As regards the jail penalty
imposed to the individuals that broke the
competition law, in 2007, 87% of the accused in
the actions brought to justice by the Antitrust

Division of the Department of Justice were
imprisoned96.
Starting with 2000, more than 150 individuals were
sent to jail, following a sentence in the cases
brought to justice by the Antitrust Division of the
Department of Justice. We note the fact that this
criminalization of the individual behaviour is one of
the characteristics of the American model of
implementing the competition policy, through fines
as well as through imposing detention terms.
Table No. 1. Proceedings initiated by the Department of Justice

Investigations
initiated
Sherman Act ch.
1 restraint of
trade
Sherman Act
ch.2 - Monopoly
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
74
85
84
95
137
10
10
13
11
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
79
118
104
77
76
Table No. 2. Fines situated above the value 100 million dollars
collected by the Department of Justice, Antitrust Division97
Incriminated company
Field
Fine
(million dollars)
F. Hoffmann -La Roche, Ltd. (1999)
Vitamins
500
Korean Air Lines Co., Ltd. (2007)
Air Transport
300
British Airways (2007)
Air Transport
300
Samsung Electronics Company, Ltd.; Samsung

Semiconductor, Inc. (2006)
Semiconductors
300
BASF AG (1999)
Vitamins
225
Hynix Semiconductor, Inc. (2005)
Semiconductors
185
Infineon Technologies AG (2004)
Semiconductors
160
SGL Carbon AG (1999)
Graphite electrodes
135
Mitsubishi Corp. (2001)
Graphite electrodes
134
UCAR International, Inc. (1998)
Graphite electrodes
110
Archer Daniels Midland Co. (1996)
Citric acid and lysine
100
96
Criminal Enforcement Program,p.12, speech available at:

http://www.usdoj.gov/atr/public/speeches/232716.pdf.
97
Scott Hammond, op.cit., p. 12.
Address of Scott Hammond, deputy attorney general, in charge

with penal implementing of competition policy entitled Recent
Developments, Trends, and Milestones in the Antitrust Division's
51
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Chiar i dup adoptarea Actului Sherman,

rmsese totui temerea c interzicerea prevzut
de acest act referitor la orice limitare a comerului,
ca fiind doar o interzicere a restrngerilor
excesive. Aceast insatisfacie a condus la
adoptarea, de ctre Congresul American, a dou
acte legislative suplimentare n 1914: Actul
Clayton98 i Actul Comisiei Federale de Comer99. In
fapt, politica american n domeniul concurenei
se bazeaz pe trei acte: Actul Sherman, Actul
Clayton i Actul Comisiei Federale de Comer,
chiar dac acestea vor cunoate de-a lungul
timpului amendamente i interpretri diverse.
Clayton interzicea oricrei persoane s fie, n

acelai timp, director la dou sau mai multe
corporaii care sunt sau au fost concurente pe orice
tip de pia, atunci cnd una din aceste corporaii
are active de peste 1 milion $.
Actul Comisiei de Comer Federal stipuleaz
prevederi substaniale n domeniul antitrust n
Seciunile 5 i 12, iar n seciunea 8 se creeaz o
agenie special (Comisia de Comer Federal) att
cu funcii de investigaie, ct i de judecat.
Spre deosebire de Direcia Antitrust din cadrul
Departamentului de Justiie care reprezint, n
fapt, puterea executiv, Comisia de Comer
Federal este o autoritate administrativ, cu o
anumit independen. Competenele sunt
partajate dup cum urmeaz: Comisia de Comer
Federal asigur respectul interdiciilor enunate n
Actul Clayton i n Actul Comisiei de Comer
Federal, n timp ce Departamentul de Justiie
asigur aplicarea Actului Sherman, fiind singurul
abilitat s aplice amenzi penale. Prin urmare,
aciunile penale i civile sunt introduse n instan
de Direcia Antitrust a Departamentului de Justiie,
iar aciunile civile de implementare i aciunile n
daune-interese mpotriva persoanelor sunt
introduse n instan de Comisia Federal de
Comer.
Actul Clayton are o sfer de cuprindere mai bine

delimitat, definind mai clar actele
anticoncureniale.
Seciunea 2 a acestui act interzice discriminarea n materie
de pre n cadrul comerului realizat de un vnztor ntre
diferii cumprtori de mrfuri de aceeai categorie i
calitate. Seciunea 3 declar ca fiind ilegal pentru orice
persoan angajat n comer, n cadrul unui astfel de comer,
nchirierea sau vnzarea bunurilor pentru folosirea sau
revnzarea n cadrul Statelor Unite cu condiia ca i
cumprtorul s nu foloseasc sau s distribuie produsele
concurentului vnztorului sau a celui care nchiriaz.
Seciunea 6 exclude de la aplicarea legii concurenei
organizaiile de agricultur, horticultur i munc, stipulnd
faptul c aceste instituii nu vor fi tratate ca i combinaii
ilegale sau conspiraii. Seciunea 7 interzice achiziiile de
firme al cror efect ar putea fi acela de a slbi substanial
concurena sau de a tinde s creeze un monopol. Actul
Clayton a scos n afara legii discriminarea de pre, clauzele
legate i acordurile referitoare la nelegeri exclusive,
precum i la fuziunile ntre firmele concurente. Cu toate
acestea, aceste practici erau ilegale numai pentru situaia n
care ar slbi substanial concurena sau ar tinde s creeze un
monopol. Seciunea 7, care se ocupa de fuziuni, era
ineficient n mare parte din cauza existenei unei portie
legale.
Un caz recent de implementare a legislaiei

antitrust, considerat de success, este cel privind
cartelul productorilor de vitamine (cazurile din
1999 SUA. c. F. Hoffmann-LaRoche i SUA c. BASF
AG). La sfritul anilor '90, Direcia Antitrust a
nceput o investigaie cu privire la un cartel al
productorilor de vitamine care afecta peste 5
miliarde dolari din comerul american. Dovezile au
artat c membrii cartelului ajunseser la acorduri
detaliate referitoare la cantitile pe care ar trebui
s le produc fiecare companie, preurile pe care ar
trebui s le perceap, precum i clienii crora ar
trebui s le furnizeze produsele. Cei care au avut de
suferit de pe urma cumprrii de produse de la
membrii cartelului au fost firme avnd nume
importante ca General Mills, Kellogg, Coca-Cola,
Ulterior, Actul Hart- Scott- Rodino din 1950 avea

s adauge o nou Seciune 7a solicitnd ca anumite
achiziii i fuziuni s fie notificate ctre Comisia
Federal de Comer i Divizia Antitrust a
Departamentului de Justiie. Seciunea 8 a Actului
9 8
Actul Clayton este disponibil pe site-ul
http://www.usdoj.gov/atr/foia/divisionmanual/ch2.htm#a1.
99
Actul Comisiei Federale de Comer este disponibil pe site-ul:
http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/15/usc_sup_01_15_10_2_20
_I.html.
52
3/2009
Even after the adoption of the Sherman Act, it

remained the fear that the prohibition provided for
by this act referring to any limitation of trade, was
only a prohibition of excessive restrictive
practices. This insatisfaction led to the adoption,
by the American Congress, of two additional legal
acts in 1914: Clayton Act100 and Federal Trade
Commission Act 101 . In fact, the American
competition policy is based on three acts: Sherman
Act, Clayton Act and Federal Trade Commission
Act, even if these will know in time different
amendments and interpretations.
The Federal Trade Commission Act stipulates

substantial provisions in the field of antitrust in
Sections 5 and 12, while in Section 8 creates a
special agency (Federal Trade Commission) with
investigation, as well as trial functions.
Unlike the Antitrust Division with the Department
of Justice which represents, in fact, the executive
power, Federal Trade Commission is an
administrative authority, having certain
independence. The competences are shared as
follows: Federal Trade Commission ensures the
observation of prohibitions in the Clayton Act and
Federal Trade Commission Act, while the
Department of Justice ensures the application of
Sherman Act, being the only one entrusted to
enforce penal fines. Consequently, the penal and
civil actions are brought into justice by the Antitrust
Division of the Department of Justice, but the civil
actions of implementation and actions for recovery
of damages against individuals are brought to
justice by Federal Trade Commission.
Clayton Act has a more specific scope, by defining

more clearly the anticompetitive acts.
Section 2 of this act prohibits the price discrimination within
the trade made by a seller between different buyers of goods
of the same category and quality. Section 3 declares as illegal
any person engaged in trade, within such trade, leasing or
selling the goods in order to be used or to be resold in the
United States on the condition that the buyer does not use or
distribute the goods to the competitors of the seller or of the
leaser. Section 6 excludes from the application of
competition law the agriculture organizations, horticulture,
labour, by stipulating that these institutions will not be
treated as illegal combinations or conspiracies. Section 7
prohibits the company acquisitions the effect of which is to
weaken the competition or tend to create a monopoly. The
Clayton Act outlawed the price discrimination, agreements
referring to exclusive agreements, as well as the mergers
between competitors. Nevertheless, these practices are
illegal only for the situation in which the competition would
be weakened substantially or would tend to create a
monopoly. Section 7, dealing with mergers, was inefficient
mainly because of a legal escape door.
A recent, successful case of implementing the

antitrust legislation is the one regarding the cartel of
the producers of vitamins (cases of 1999 US v. F.
Hoffmann - LaRoche and US v. BASF AG). At the end
of 1990's, the Antitrust Division has started an
investigation regarding a cartel of the vitamin
producers which affected over 5 billion dollars of
the American trade. The evidence showed that the
members of the cartel have reached detailed
agreements regarding the quantities which each
company should produce, their prices, as well as
the customers to whom they should supply their
products. Those who were affected by the buying
of products from the cartel members were
companies such as General Mills, Kellogg, CocaCola, Tyson Foods and Procter & Gamble, but also
American consumers.
Subsequently, Hart- Scott- Rodino Act of 1950

would add a new Section 7a, by requesting that
certain mergers and acquisitions be notified to the
Federal Trade Commission and Antitrust Division of
the Department of Justice. Section 8 of Clayton Act
prohibited any person to be, at the same time,
manager for two or more corporations which are or
were competitors on any type of market, when any
of these corporations has assets over 1 million $.
100
101
Clayton Act is available at:

http://www.usdoj.gov/atr/foia/divisionmanual/ch2.htm#a1.
Federal Trade Commission Act is available at:

http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/15/usc_sup_01_15_10_2_20
_I.html.
53
3/2009
Tyson Foods i Procter & Gamble, dar i

consumatorii americani. Aceast investigaie a
condus la acuzarea firmelor americane, elveiene,
germane, canadiene i japoneze i la trimiterea n
nchisoare a unui numr de manageri. Membrilor
cartelului le-au fost impuse amenzi de peste 850
milioane dolari, inclusiv o amend record de 500
milioane dolari impuse lui Hoffman La Roche i o
amend de 225 milioane dolari impus BASF
AG102.
Un alt caz recent, de aceast dat de investigare a
eventualelor nclcri ale Actului Hart-ScottRodino a fost acela al lui Google/DoubleClick din
2008. n decembrie 2007, Comisia Federal de
Comer a anunat c nu va ncerca s blocheze
achiziia server-ului Double click de publicitate pe
internet de ctre Google Inc. Raiunile invocate au
vizat faptul c Google i Double click nu erau
concureni direci pe nici o pia concurenial
relevant. Cu toate acestea, pentru a rspunde
preocuprilor viznd confidenialitatea anumitor
date privind consumatorii, Comisia Federal a
Comerului a propus celor dou firme respectarea
anumitor principii privind confidenialitatea pentru
publicitatea online i a solicitat comentarii prilor
interesate103.
Caracterul dual al sistemului american de
implementare a fost subiectul unor dezbateri
periodice n societatea american. Criticile au vizat
duplicarea inutil care poate conduce la
inconsecvena politicilor n domeniul concurenei,
poveri administrative suplimentare asupra firmelor,
sau alte obstacole n calea implementrii corecte n
domeniul concurenei federale. Unii au sugerat
eliminarea Comisiei Federale a Comerului, iar alii
au propus redistribuirea ntregii responsabiliti de
implementare ctre aceast Comisie,
Departamentul de Justiie urmnd s acioneze n
instan doar nclcrile Actului Sherman. Comisia
de Modernizare a Legislaiei n domeniul
concurenei, creat n baza unei legislaii emise de
Congresul american n 2002 i care i-a ncheiat
102
Raport 'The FTC in 2008: A Force for Consumers and
Competition', disponibil la adresa:
http://www.ftc.gov/bc/anncompreports.shtm, p. 4
103
Raportul 'The FTC in 2008: A Force for Consumers and
Competition', p. 27.
104
Raportul Comisiei de Modernizare a Legislaiei n domeniul
54
activitatea la 31 mai 2007, avea misiunea declarat

de a examina necesitatea modernizrii legislaiei n
domeniul concurenei i de a identifica i studia
aspectele conexe, de a solicita prerile tuturor
prilor implicate n funcionarea legilor n
domeniul concurenei, precum i de a evalua
oportunitatea propunerilor i aranjamentele
curente cu privire la aspectele astfel identificate. La
finalul mandatului, a subliniat ns n Raportul su
din 2007 adresat Congresului i Preedintelui104, c
nu recomand nici o schimbare instituional n
actualul sistem dual american de implementare a
legilor n domeniul concurenei.
n Actul Celler- Kefauver din 1950 care a reformat
i a consolidat Actul Clayton, Congresul american a
susinut controlul fuziunilor prin interzicerea
consolidrilor de active i de aciuni care nu
conduceau la poziie dominant. Exist un sistem
de pre-notificare al fuziunilor, n baza Actului
Consolidat Hart-Scott-Rodino din 1976, a seciunii
13(b) a Comisiei de Comer Federal i a seciunii 15
a Actului Clayton, care permite Comisiei Federale
de Comer i Direciei Antitrust a Departamentului
de Justiie s protejeze concurena prin
identificarea i investigarea acelor fuziuni i
achiziii care ridic preocupri importante din
punct de vedere al concurenei. n 2008, au fost
raportate 1.726 tranzacii, ceea ce reprezint o
scdere de 22% fa de anul 2007. Unul din
cazurile cele mai semnificative ale Comisiei
Federale de Comer a fost cel instrumentat
mpotriva unei fuziuni deja produse din Polypore
International i Microporous Products n care
Comisia Federal de Comer a stabilit faptul c
achiziia realizat n februarie 2008 a condus la
scderea concurenei i la creterea preurilor pe
pieele cu diferite tipuri de film separator de baterie
folosit la generatoarele cu baterii. Tot n 2008
Comisia Federal de Comer a mai blocat i
fuziunea propus dintre Inova Health System
Foundation i Prince William Health System, care
adusese prejudicii concurenei n Virginia de Nord
pe piaa serviciilor de sntate pentru bolile
cronice furnizate de spitale105.
Concurenei, capitolul 2, 2007, p. 129 este disponibil la adresa
http://govinfo.library.unt.edu/amc/report_recommendation/toc.htm.
105
Raportul anual Hart-Scott-Rodino pe anul 2008, Seciunea 7A,
p. 1-2, disponibil la adresa:
http://www.ftc.gov/os/2009/07/hsrreport.pdf.
3/2009
This investigation led to incriminating the

American, German, Swiss, Canadian and Japanese
and sending to jail a certain number of managers.
Fines over 850 million dollars were imposed to the
members of the cartel, including a record fine of
500 million dollars imposed to Hoffman La Roche
and a fine of 225 million dollars imposed to BASF
AG106.
identify and study the interconnected aspects, to

request the opinions of all involved parties in the
functioning of the laws in the field of competition,
and to assess the opportunity of the proposals as
well as the current arrangements regarding the
aspects thus identified. At the end of the mandate,
this Commission underlined in its 2007 Report
addressed to the Congress and to the President108,
that it does not recommend any institutional change
in the present dual American system of
implementation of the competition laws.
Another recent case, regarding the investigation of

likely infringements of Hart-Scott-Rodino Act was
that of Google/DoubleClick in 2008. In December
2007, Federal Trade Commission announced that it
will not try to block the acquisition of server
DoubleClick of internet advertising by Google Inc.
The reasons invoked regarded the fact that Google
and Double click were not direct competitors on
any relevant market. Nevertheless, in order to
answer the concerns about the confidentiality of
certain data regarding the consumers, the Federal
Trade Commission proposed to the firms the
observation of certain principles regarding
confidentiality for online advertising and requested
comments to the interested parties107.
In Celler- Kefauver Act of 1950 which reformed

and consolidated Clayton Act, the American
Congress supported the control of mergers by
prohibiting the assets consolidation and assets that
did not lead to a dominant position. There is a prenotification system of mergers, based on
consolidated Hart-Scott-Rodino Act of 1976, of
section 13(b) of Federal Trade Commission and of
Section 15 of Clayton Act, which allows the Federal
Trade Commission and the Antitrust Division of the
Department of Justice to protect the competition
by identifying and investigating those mergers and
acquisitions that raise important concerns from the
competition point of view. In 2008, 1,726
transactions have been reported, which represents
a decrease of 22% as compared to the year 2007.
One of the most significant cases of the Federal
Trade Commission was the one brought against an
already existing merger between Polypore
International and Microporous Products, where
Federal Trade Commission established that the
acquisition made in February 2008 led to the
weakening of competition and to the increase of
prices on the markets on battery separators used for
battery generators. Also in 2008, the Federal Trade
Commission blocked the proposed merger
between Inova Health System Foundation and
Prince William Health System, which prejudiced
competition in North Virginia on the market of
health services for chronic diseases supplied by
hospitals109.
The dual character of the American system of

implementation was the topic of serious debates
in the American society. The critics regarded the
useless duplication which could lead to an
inconsistency of the policies in the field of
competition, administrative burdens on
companies, or other obstacles in the way of fair
implementation in the field of federal competition.
Some have suggested the elimination of the Federal
Trade Commission, while others have proposed the
redistribution of the entire implementing
responsibility by this Commission, the Department
of Justice bringing to justice only the infringement
of the Sherman Act. The Antitrust Modernization
Commission, created on the basis of a legal act
issued by the American Congress in 2002 and
which terminated its activity on 31 May 2007, had
the declared mission to examine the necessity of
modernising the competition legislation and to
106
108
The FTC in 2008: A Force for Consumers and

Competition'Report , available at:
http://www.ftc.gov/bc/anncompreports.shtm, p. 4.
107
'The FTC in 2008: A Force for Consumers and
Competition'Report, p. 27.
Report of Antitrust Modernization Commission, chapter 2, 2007,

p. 129 is available at:
http://govinfo.library.unt.edu/amc/report_recommendation/toc.htm.
109
Annual Hart-Scott-Rodino Report 2008, Section 7A, p. 1-2,
available at :
55
3/2009
Potrivit raportului anual Hart-Scott-Rodino110, n

anul 2008, Divizia Antitrust a Departamentului de
Justiie a analizat 16 tranzacii de fuzionare i a
concluzionat c, n cazul n care li s-ar fi permis
acestora s duc la ndeplinire aceste tranzacii, ar
fi avut ca efect reducerea concurenei. 15 cazuri
dintre acestea au fost soluionate n afara curii de
justiie.
Un caz recent este cel SUA c. AT&T Inc. i Dobson
Communications Corporation111, pentru care
Divizia Antitrust a Departamentului de Justiie a
analizat achiziia propus n valoare de 2,8 miliarde
dolari a lui Dobson Communications de ctre
AT&T. Divizia a apreciat c, n cazul n care ar fi
avut loc respectiva tranzacie, aceasta ar fi condus
la reducerea substanial a concurenei, n
detrimentul consumatorilor rurali ai serviciilor de
telecomunicaii fr cablu de pe apte piee din
Kentucky, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Oklahoma i
Texas. Acest lucru ar fi condus, la rndul su, la
preuri ridicate, calitate inferioar i investiii
sczute pentru mbuntirea reelei. Mai precis, n
aceste zone, fimele aflate n totalitate sau parial n
proprietatea AT&T i Dobson ofereau servicii la mai
mult de 60% din abonai, iar pe dou din piee
unde principalul concurent al lui AT&T opera tot n
baza unei licene Cellular One a lui Dobson, AT&T
nu ar fi fost stimulat i nu ar fi avut capacitatea de a
aduce atingere concurenei prin limitarea
liceniatului de a folosi brandul Cellular One n
mod eficient. Acest caz a fost introdus n instan
n mai 2008. n ceea ce privete activitatea
Comisiei Federale a Comerului, n anul 2008 au
existat 21 tranzacii pentru care Comisia a
considerat c este posibil reducerea concurenei
n cazul n care ar avea loc, emind tot attea
ordine. Potrivit acestor opinii ale Comisiei, prile
fie trebuiau s abandoneze afacerea, fie trebuiau s
i modifice afacerea dup primirea informaiilor.
110
Raportul Hart Scott Rodino din anul 2008, disponibil la adresa
111
Detalii privind instrumentarea cazului sunt disponibile la adresa
http://www.usdoj.gov/atr/cases/dobson.htm.
112
Cazul este disponibil la adresa:
http://www.ftc.gov/os/caselist/0710120/index.shtm.
113
P. 16.
114
Institutul American petru Antitrust este o organizaie
independent, non-profit, cu sediul la Washington, care are ca
n cazul The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company,

Inc./Pathmark Stores Inc112, Comisia Federal a
Comerului a analizat achiziia propus a firmei
Pathmark Stores de ctre A&P n valoare de 1,3
miliarde dolari care ar fi condus la o reducere
substanial a concurenei dintre cele dou firme
de supermarket n Staten Island i Long Island, New
York. A&P opereaz 316 supermarketuri n 5 state
n regiunile de pe coasta Atlanticului i din nordestul SUA, precum i n Districtul Columbia.
Pathmark opereaz 141 supermarketuri n patru
state. Potrivit plngerii naintate de CFC n justiie,
afacerea propus ar fi permis A&P s exercite mai
mult putere pe pia i s ridice preurile pentru
diferite alimente, ceea ce ar fi condus la un
comportament similar din partea operatorilor din
Staten Island i Long Island, care ar fi interacionat
n mod coordonat. Pentru a remedia aceste
preocupri, CFC a emis un ordin prin care solicita
AP&P s vnd ase locaii de supermarket de pe
pieele foarte concentrate ale New Yorkului113.
n contextul crizei economice mondiale nceput
n anul 2007, analitii Institutului American
114
pentru Antitrust , au considerat c se impun i
o serie de msuri instituionale i legislative n
domeniul concurenei, propuneri care au fost
naintate Congresului American n martie 2009.
Acestea vizeaz, n primul rnd, crearea unei
poziii de asistent adjunct al ministrului justiiei,
n cadrul Direciei Antitrust a Departamentului
American de Justiie, a crui numire s fie
aprobat de Senat i care s aib misiunea de a
participa la elaborarea politicii naionale cu
impact asupra concurenei. n al doilea rnd,
analitii consider c trebuie avut n vedere
iniierea, de ctre Congresul american, a unei
legislaii care s dea oportunitatea executivului
de a opri formarea de noi organizaii care s fie
prea mari pentru a li se putea permite s
falimenteze (too big to fail) i care s faciliteze
luarea unor decizii mult mai rapide de aprobare,
de ctre Preedinte, a fuziunilor n cadrul
sistemului de pre-notificare a acestora.
misiune creterea rolului politicii n domeniul concurenei. A fost

nfiinat n aprilie 2008. Propunerile Institutului Statement of
Albert a. Foer President, American Antitrust Institute, Before the US
House of Representatives Judiciary Committee, Subcommittee on
Courts and Competition Policy Too big to fail? The role of
Antitrust in Government- funded Consolidation in the Banking
Industry , March 17, 2009, disponibil pe site -ul
http://www.antitrustinstitute.org.
56
3/2009
According to the 2008 Annual report Hart-ScottRodino, the Antitrust Division of the Department of
Justice analysed 16 merger transactions and
concluded that, in case they had been allowed to
finalise those transactions, it would have led to a
reduction of competition. 15 such cases were
solved outside courts.
In the case The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea

Company, Inc./Pathmark Stores Inc116, the Federal
Trade Commission analysed the acquisition
proposed of the company Pathmark Stores by A&P
in value of 1.3 billion dollars which would have led
to a substantial reduction of competition between
the two supermarket brands in Staten Island and
Long Island, New York. A&P operated 316
supermarkets in 5 states in the Atlantic coastal
region and in the North East of US, as well as in
District of Columbia. Pathmark operated 141
supermarkets in four states. According to the
complaint brought by Federal Trade Commission to
justice, the proposed acquisition would have
allowed A&P to exert more power on the market
and to increase the prices for different types of
foodstuff, which would have led to a similar
behaviour from operators in Staten Island and Long
Island, which would have reacted in a coordinated
manner. In order to remedy these concerns, the
Federal Trade Commission issued an order through
which it requested AP&P to sell six supermarket
locations on the very concentrated markets of New
York117.
A recent case is that of US v. AT&T Inc. and Dobson

Communications Corporation115, for which the
Antitrust Division of Department of Justice analysed
the proposed acquisition in value of 2.8 billion
dollars of Dobson Communications by AT&T. The
Division appreciated that, in case the respective
transaction had taken place, it would have led to
substantially reducing the competition, to the
detriment of rural consumers of
telecommunication services without cable on
seven markets in Kentucky, Missouri, Pennsylvania,
Oklahoma and Texas. This would have led, at its
turn, to high prices, bad quality, and low
investments for improving the network. More
precisely, in these areas, the companies owned
totally or partially by AT&T and Dobson supplied
services for more than 60% of the subscribers, and
on two of those markets where the main
competitor of AT&T operated based on a Cellular
One license of Dobson, AT&T would not have been
stimulated and would not have the capacity to
affect competition by limiting the licensee to use
the Cellular One brand efficiently. This case was
brought to justice in May 2008. As regards the
activity of the Federal Trade Commission, in 2008
there were 21 transactions for which the
Commission considered that it is possible to reduce
competition in case they would take place, by
issuing an equal number of orders. According to
these opinions of the Commission, the parties were
supposed either to abandon the acquisition, or to
alter it after receiving the information.
In the context of the global economic crisis started

in 2007, the analysts of the American Antitrust
Institute 1 1 8 , considered that a series of
institutional and legal measures in the field of
competition are imposed, proposals that were
forwarded to the American Congress in March
2009. These aim at, first, creating the position of
deputy assistant of the attorney general, with the
Antitrust Division of the American Department
of Justice, the nomination of which to be
approved by the Senate and which has the
mission to take part to drafting the national
policy with impact on competition. Second, the
analysts consider the Congress should have in
mind the initiation of a legislation which would
give the opportunity to the executive to stop the
creation of new organisations too big to fail
and which should facilitate the taking of some
more rapid decisions of approval, by the
President, of mergers within the prenotification.
115
mission the increase of the role of competition policy, it was

established in April 2008. Statement of Albert a. Foer President,
American Antitrust Institute, Before the US House of
Representatives Judiciary Committee, Subcommittee on Courts
and Competition Policy Too big to fail? The Role of Antitrust in
Government-funded Consolidation in the Banking Industry,
March 17, 2009, available at http://www.antitrustinstitute.org.
Details regarding the case are available at

http://www.usdoj.gov/atr/cases/dobson.htm.
116
The case is available at
http://www.ftc.gov/os/caselist/0710120/index.shtm.
117
P. 16.
118
The American Antitrust Institute is a non-profit, independent
organization, with the headquarters in Washington, having as
57
3/2009
Bibliografie
Antitrust Modernization Commision (2007), Report and
Recommendations, disponibil la adresa:
http://govinfo.library.unt.edu/amc/report_recommenda
tion/toc.htm;
Block, M.K., Nold, F.C., Sidak, J.G. (1981), The
Deterrent Effect of Antitrust Enforcement, Journal of
Political Economy 89, June, pp. 429-45;
Federal Trade Commission& Department of Justice
(2008), Hart-Scott-Rodino Report, disponibil la adresa:
http://www.ftc.gov/os/2009/07/hsrreport.pdf;
Federal Trade Commission (2008), The FTC in 2008: A
Force for Consumers and Competition, disponibil la
adresa
http://www.ftc.gov/bc/anncompreports.shtm:
Neale, A. , Goyder, D.G., (1980) The Antitrust Laws of
the United States of America, 3rd ed. (Cambridge
University
Press);
Whish, R (2003), Competition Law, 5th edition (London:
Butterworth).
58
3/2009
References
Antitrust Modernization Commission (2007), Report and
Recommendations, available at:
http://govinfo.library.unt.edu/amc/report_recommendatio
n/toc.htm;
Block, M.K., Nold, F.C., Sidak, J.G. (1981), The Deterrent
Effect of Antitrust Enforcement, Journal of Political
Economy 89, June, pp. 429-45;
Federal Trade Commission& Department of Justice (2008),
Hart-Scott-Rodino Report, available at:
http://www.ftc.gov/os/2009/07/hsrreport.pdf;
Federal Trade Commission (2008), The FTC in 2008: A
Force for Consumers and Competition, available at:
http://www.ftc.gov/bc/anncompreports.shtm:
Neale, A. , Goyder, D.G., (1980) The Antitrust Laws of the
United States of America, 3rd ed. (Cambridge University
Press);
Whish, R (2003), Competition Law, 5th edition (London:
Butterworth).
59
3/2009
POLITICA I LEGEA CONCURENEI N

CONTEXTUL ACTUALELOR PROVOCRI
ECONOMICE LA NIVEL GLOBAL
Daniela ELEODOR119
Motto
While I have been a lifelong capitalist, I could never accept that laissez faire is a good solution for a society. It
was John Ralston Saul who said that "unregulated competition is just a nave metaphor for anarchy" we
don't need that. What we need are regulated markets. And the challenge is to maximise our prosperity by
finding the most efficient ways to regulate them120.
Rezumat
Criza financiar global se propag cu rapiditate n economia real n care bunuri i servicii, altele dect cele
financiare, se realizeaz i tranzacioneaz. Economiile rilor din ntreaga lume resimt n mod diferit
efectele crizei, ns ar fi o eroare ca rile s-i protejeze status quo-ul cu preul afectrii concurenei. Istoria
economic a politicii antitrust confirm din plin aceast afirmaie.
Pe baza unei analize n retrospectiv, prezenta lucrare i propune s evidenieze acele instrumente legale
ale politicii si legii concurentei prin care autoritile de concuren pot contribui la ameliorarea efectelor
crizei economice si financiare actuale.
Cuvinte cheie: recesiune, globalizare, concuren, ajutor de stat , instituii financiare.
Impactul crizei financiare i economice actuale
asupra politicii de concuren
mai scump pentru societate, n special dac

firmele sunt concentrate n aceeai arie local.
O recesiune are potenialul de a fi inamicul

concurenei i al politicilor care o susin pentru o
serie raiuni. n primul rnd, concurena furnizeaz
cele mai bune rezultate atunci cnd determin
eficiena sporit. ns aceasta necesit timp. Altfel
spus, concurena poate atinge aceast int numai
n parte, prin facilitarea intrrii de noi firme
eficiente i nlturarea celor ineficiente de pe pia.
n fapt, costurile imediate pe care trebuie s le

plateasc firmele, angajaii i consumatorii, ca
urmare a respectrii regulilor de concuren sunt
mai vizibile n timp ce beneficiile concurenei sunt
amnate i mai puin vizibile.
n al doilea rnd, piee concureniale i n special

inovatoare produc adeseori valori mai bune pentru
consumatori. Prin contrast, ntr- o recesiune, sunt
necesare aciunile pe termen scurt iar ieirea de pe
pia a firmelor falimentare poate fi privit ca fiind
119
Inspector de concuren, Direcia Relaii Externe i Integrare
European.
120
Declaraia d-nei Neelie Kroes, Comisar European pentru
60
Pe acest fundal, recesiunea duce la creterea

presiunii publice asupra politicienilor pentru ca
acetia s intervin pentru a salva firmele aflate n
impas, s controleze omajul i vulnerabilitatea
consumatorilor. n afar de impactul asupra
economiei reale, prbuirea creditrii afecteaz
ncrederea consumatorilor n piee concureniale.
Concuren n faa Clubului Economic de la Toronto, Competition,

the crisis and the road to recovery, 30.03.2009.
3/2009
COMPETITION LAW AND POLICY IN THE CONTEXT OF

THE CURRENT ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT IN DISTRESS
AT GLOBAL LEVEL
Daniela ELEODOR121
Motto
While I have been a lifelong capitalist, I could never accept that laissez faire is a good solution for a society. It
was John Ralston Saul who said that "unregulated competition is just a nave metaphor for anarchy" we
don't need that. What we need are regulated markets. And the challenge is to maximise our prosperity by
finding the most efficient ways to regulate them122.
Abstract123
The global financial crisis is spilling over into the real economy where goods and non-financial services are
made and traded. Different economies are affected differently. But trying to protect the status quo by
dampening competition would be an error. The economic history of antitrust confirms this assumption.
On the basis of a retrospective assessment, the present papers intends to draw upon the competition law
and policy possible legal responses to the challenges posed by the current economic and financial crisis.
Keywords: recession, globalization, competition, State aid, financial institutions.
The impact of the present financial and

economic crisis over competition policy
costly for society, especially if they are concentrated

in the same local area.
A recession has the potential to be inimical to the

competition and the policies that support it, for
several reasons. First, competition policy works
well when markets are given time to evolve and
drive improved efficiency; but this takes time. Put it
differently, competition policy may attain this goal
only in part by enabling the entry of new efficient
firms and the exit of inefficient firms.
Actually, the immediate costs that existing

businesses, employees and consumers have to
incur may be up-front and visible, while the
benefits of competition are delayed and less visible.
Against this backdrop, the recession leads to
increased public pressure over politicians to
intervene in order to save failing firms and to
counteract unemployment and consumer
vulnerability. Aside from its impact on the real
economy, the credit-crunch alters consumers'
confidence in competitive market to deliver
positive outcomes.
Second, competitive, and especially innovative,

markets often produce better value for consumers.
On the contrary, in a recession, the short-run
survival actions may be insistently sought and the
exit of failing firms may be perceived to be more
121
Competition inspector, Directorate of International Relationships
and European Integration.
122
Statement of Neelie Kroes, European Commissioner for
Competition at the Economic Club Toronto, Competition, the crisis

and the road to recovery, 30.03.2009.
123
Translated in to English by Daniela Eleodor.
61
3/2009
Dup cum afirma David Lewis orice cretere de

pre ar putea genera suspiciunea publicului i a
oficialilor cu privire la un posibil comportament de
tip cartel cnd, n realitate, aceast cretere s-ar
putea datora multor altor cauze. Orice pia unde
exist o firm dominant ar putea fi suspectat c
reflect comportament monopolistic de excludere
sau de exploatare, chiar dac barierele la intrarea pe
pia sunt reduse sau un grad neobinuit de
dinamism tehnologic transform pieele
monopolizate n piee contestabile, adic relativ
protejate de exercitarea puterii de pia124.
De asemenea, se manifest presiuni pentru

intervenia activ a statului n ajutorarea firmelor
aflate n dificultate, prin intermediul politicii
industriale. Exemplele abund deja. Comisia
European se afl sub presiunea intens a liderilor
politici ai guvernelor Statele Membre UE de a
relaxa restriciile n ceea ce privete acordarea
ajutoarelor de stat naionale. n special,
preedintele Sarkozy a cerut o relaxare a regulilor
comunitare n domeniul ajutorului de stat care s
permit guvernului sau s subvenioneze industria
auto francez.
Cu toate acestea, o criz poate s invite firmele la

comportamente anticoncureniale. Cartelurile sau
monopolurile pot s ncerce s profite de pe urma
mediului economic degradat. Furnizorii care nu au
putere de pia pot s dobndeasc o putere de
pia substanial n perioade de criz pe pia i
prin urmare, pot mri preurile pentru o perioad
considerabil, atunci cnd firme concurente se
confrunt cu probleme de capacitate de producie
i nu pot reaciona.
La aceast provocare, UE d dovad de o atitudine

ferm de lupta mpotriva protecionismului
economic, cu scopul de a susine fluxurile
comerciale globale i de consecven, prin
susinerea beneficiilor acordrii de ajutor de stat
pentru obiective orizontale cum ar fi cercetare i
dezvoltare, instruire profesional i proiecte de
mediu, ca cele mai sigure msuri pentru sprijinirea
firmelor aflate n dificultate.
Pe de alt parte, se pot face presiuni pentru

acceptarea concentrrilor economice care sunt n
esen anticoncureniale, cu scopul de a salva firme
aflate n dificultate sau de a crea campioni
naionali. De aceeai manier, se pot exercita
presiuni i pentru legalizarea cartelurilor de export
sau chiar a cartelurilor de recesiune, tot cu scopul
de a salva firme naionale n dificultate sau de a le
acorda un avantaj pe piaa de export.
Ca mrturie n acest sens stau i reaciile mai
recente ale Europei i ale SUA la dificultile de pe
pieele financiare. Astfel, guvernul Mrii Britanii a
autorizat, fr s in seama de autoritatea de
concuren, fuzionarea bancii Lloyds cu Hbos125, o
concentrare economic care nu ar fi fost aprobat
cu cateva luni n urm. De asemenea, irul de
concentrri economice facilitate de trezoreria SUA
va lsa SUA cu piee financiare nalt concentrate126.
124
Lewis, David, Competition Law and Policy in Bad Times, speech
before the DPRU (Development Policy Research Unit), Conference
on Regulation, Johannesburg, 2008, October.
125
Marea Britanie, Oficiul pentru comer loial. OFT statement on
proposed merger between Lloyds TSB and HBOS, Comunicat de
pres 108-08, 18 septembrie 2008.
126
A se consulta Degryse i Ongena, care, n Competition and
Prin contrast, n Statele Unite, guvernul SUA a

procedat deja la sfritul anului trecut la
subvenionarea GM i Chrysler, cu scopul
revigorrii sectorului auto. Mai recent, salvarea
companiei de asigurri AIG de la colaps financiar
de ctre guvernul Statele Unite demonstreaz deja
efectele nocive ale aplicrii unei politici
protecioniste seclective. Astfel, concurenii
companiei AIG au nceput s-i arate public
nemuluimirea cu privire la faptul c imediat dup
primirea unui ajutor financiar de 173, 3 mld. de
dolari, compania a trecut la practicarea unei politici
agresive de reducere a tarifelor, la unele servicii din
portofoliu, nregistrndu-se o scdere a preurilor
cu mai mult de 30%127.
Regulation in the Banking Sector: A Review of the Empirical

Evidence on the sources of bank rents, publicat n A. Thakor and A.
Boot (eds.), Handbook of Financial Intermediation and Banking,
Elsevier, analizeaz literatura cu privire la consolidare i
consecinele consolidrii sistemului financiar (2008, p. 483-542).
127
USA Inc : AIG's Rivals blame bailout for tilting insurance game,
Wall Street Journal, 2009, March, 23.
62
3/2009
As David Lewis stated, Hence every price shock

will generate public and official suspicion of cartel
conduct when in truth they may reflect rising input
prices which may in turn be the outcome of many
influences. Every market subject to single firm
domination will be presumed to reflect exclusionary
or exploitative monopolistic conduct even if low
entry barriers or an unusual degree of technological
dynamism render the monopolized markets subject
to contestability and so relatively protected from the
exercise of market power128.
However, a crisis could invite companies to
circumvent competition rules by recurring to anticompetitive conducts. Cartels or monopolies may
take advantage from a distressed economic
environment. Suppliers with no market power may
achieve substantial market power during periods of
market crisis and therefore, they may increase
prices for a considerable period of time, when their
rivals are capacity constrained and cannot react.
On the other hand, pressure may be made to allow
for mergers that are in nature anti-competitive in
order to save failing firms or to create 'national
champions'. By the same token, pressures may be
exerted to legalize export cartels or even recession
cartels in order to save troubled domestic firms or
to provide them with an advantage in the export
market.
The more recent reactions of Europe and USA to
the credit crunch may constitute examples of
current competition law and policy challenges.
Hence, the UK government permitted, without
consulting with its competition authority, the
merger of Lloyds and HBOS129, a merger which
would not have passed the competition test a few
months ago. Further, the chain of mergers
facilitated by the US treasury will leave the US with
highly concentrated financial markets130.
128
before the DPRU (Development Policy Research Unit), Conference
129
Great Britain, OFT statement on proposed merger between
Lloyds TSB and HBOS, Press release 108-08, 2008, September 18.
130
See Degryse and Ongena, who in Competition and Regulation in
63
There are as well pressures for increased state

intervention in order to support failing businesses,
through industrial policies. Examples already
abound: the European Commission is under the
intense pressure of the EU Member States political
leaders to relax the policy restrictions imposed on
national state aid. President Sarkozy, in particular,
has pleaded for a relaxation of European state aid
rules that would enable his government to subsidise
the French automobile industry.
However, EU continues to show off a determined
stance against economic protectionism in order to
back the global trade flows. A consistent approach
is as well observable. State aid for horizontal
objectives such as aid for research and
development, training and environmental projects
are thus considered as the most effective measures
for supporting the firms in difficulty.
On the contrary, in the US, the Government has
already granted financial assistance to GM and
Chrysler with a view to rescuing the national
automobile industry. More recently, saving AIG
insurance company from financial collapse already
proves the negative effects of applying a selective
protectionist policy. Thus, the rivals of AIG
Company have already expressed publicly their
discontent with the fact that immediately after
receiving a financial aid of 173.3 billion dollars, the
company began to apply an aggressive policy of
cutting the fees for some services in its portfolio,
causing a fall in prices of more than 30%131.
the Banking Sector: A Review of the Empirical Evidence on the

sources of bank rents, published in A. Thakor and A. Boot (eds.),
Handbook of Financial Intermediation and Banking, Elsevier, assess
the whole literature with respect to the consolidation of the
financial system and its consequences (2008, p. 483-542).
131
USA Inc: AIG's Rivals blame bailout for tilting insurance game,
Wall Street Journal, 2009, March, 23.
3/2009
Efectele negative ale msurilor protecioniste ale

guvernelor se pot constata i n Europa. Spre
exemplu, n Irlanda, limitarea garaniilor de stat de
ctre guvernul irlandez numai la cele ase bnci
naionale a condus la o retragere masiv de ctre
deponeni a conturilor din Marea Britanie sau din
bncile din Irlanda.
Dincolo de scurta existen a NIRA, dificultile din

industriile americane nu au fost considerate,
altcndva n istoria SUA, un argument legitim
pentru acordarea unei scutiri fie ea i temporar de
la regula de interzicere per se a cartelurilor.
Legalizarea cartelurilor ca o politic de rspuns la
firmele aflate n dificultate mpiedic mutarea forei
de munc i a capitalului spre firme sau industrii
mai eficiente. Ca o consecin, consumatorii
pltesc preuri mai mari att pentru bunurile care
provin din industria n dificultate ct i pentru
bunurile din alte industrii neafectate134.
Relaxarea sau suspendarea aplicrii regulilor de

concuren? Dovezi din trecut
Relaxarea sau chiar suspendarea uneori a aplicrii
regulilor de concuren n crizele anterioare pe
motiv de urgen economic sugereaz c astfel
de abordari s-au dovedit a fi nenelepte, ntrucat
nu au condus la beneficii economice ci din contr,
au avut efectul de sugrumare a concurenei i de
subminare a dinamismului economic, n
detrimentul consumatorilor.
Cu toate acestea, exist cteva legi de concuren

care permit cartelurile de recesiune ca rspuns la
crizele structurale. Astfel, un cartel de criza
structural ar putea fi tolerat n scopul adaptrii
capacitii n mod sistematic la o schimbare
durabil a cererii atta timp ct cartelul ine seama
de condiiile de concuren din sectoarele
economice n cauz135. Guvernele pot fi tentate
aadar s permit unei industrii s decid cu privire
la structura care poate sa fac fa la noile condiii
de pe pia. Aceste carteluri prezint ns, un risc
serios n ceea ce privete concurena i eficiena pe
pia. Spre exemplu, experiena Japoniei136
sugereaz c intervenia guvernului de a
restriciona concurena n industrii afectate de criza
structural a prelungit recesiunea din Japonia din
anii 90.
Experiena SUA n timpul Marii Depresiuni (19291933), n special legalizarea cartelurilor, urmare a
Actului de Redresare a Industriei Naionale a artat
c o astfel de abordare poate prejudicia i mai mult
economia n loc s o ajute. NIRA (1933) s-a
promulgat ca rspuns la declinul industrial care a
avut loc n timpul depresiunii din anii 1930 i a
facilitat controlul preurilor i al produciei de ctre
firmele organizate n asociaii comerciale, care
pn nu demult era ilegal, conform legilor antitrust
din SUA. n cele din urm, NIRA s-a dovedit c a
contribuit puin, sau deloc la redresarea
economic132. Mai mult dect att, suspendarea
regulilor de concuren n SUA n anii 1930 a facut
c Marea Depresiune s dureze mai mult133.
Relaxarea aplicrii regulilor privind controlul

concentrrilor economice pe parcursul crizelor
economice anterioare a urmrit n mod clar
promovarea unor politici protecioniste137. De
asemenea, exist un risc deloc de neglijat ca n
contextul globalizrii pieelor, protejarea
campionilor naionali i a intereselor naionale prin
intermediul mprumuturilor i/sau a garaniilor de
stat s conduc la declanarea unei competiii ntre
state pentru subvenionarea industriilor lor, cu
consecine dezastruoase asupra tere ri,
deficitelor publice i pltitorilor de taxe.
132
A se consulta, spre exemplu, Harold L. Cole i Lee E. Ohanian,
New Deal Policies and the Persistence of the Great Depression: A
General Equilibrium Analysis, Journal of Political Economy,
University of Chicago Press, (2004, vol. 112(4), pag. 779-816,
august).
133
Fingleton, J., Competition Policy in Troubled Times, speech given
on 20 January 2009, disponibil la link-ul
www.oft.gov.uk/shared_oft/speeches/2009/spe0109.pdf.
134
J. Taylor, The Output Effects of Government Sponsored Cartels during
the New Deal, Journal of Industrial Economics, Vol. 50(1), (2002, p. 1-10).
64
135
Massimo Motta, Competition Policy: Theory and Practice,
editura Cambridge, (2004, p. 9).
136
A se consulta, spre exemplu, Hayashi i Prescott, The 1990s in
Japan: A lost decade, Review of Economic Dynamics, 2002 sau Bill
Emmott Rivals Chapter 8, How the struggle between China, India
and Japan will shape our next decade, Penguin 2008.
137
Elena Carletti, European University Institute, Background Note
on Competition and Financial Markets prepared for OECD Global
Competition Forum, 2009, February - DAF(COMP)/(2009)2.
3/2009
The negative effects of the governmental

protectionist measures may be identified in Europe
as well. In Ireland, for example, limiting state
guarantees by the Irish government only to the six
national banks led to a massive withdrawal by the
depositors of the accounts in Great Britain or in the
Irish banks.
Apart from NIRA's short existence, the difficulties in

the American industries were not considered,
anytime in the USA history, a legitimate argument
for granting an exemption, even a temporary one,
from the per se interdiction rule of the cartels.
Therefore, experience shows that legalizing tacit
agreements as a reaction policy towards companies
under difficulties prevents the movement of capital
and labor force towards more efficient companies
and industries. As a consequence, consumers pay
higher prices both for the goods coming from the
industry under difficulty and for the goods coming
from other unaffected industries140.
In the same line, Financial Times identified massive

subsidies provided by a large range of individual US
states keen to attract new investments in order to
restore the perception of US as a low cost
manufacturing centre. Examples of national
governments which have imposed price controls
on food products or which have prohibited or
taxed exports of food products are endless at global
level.
However, there are a few competition laws which

allow recession cartels as a response to structural
crises. For instance, a structural crisis cartel might
be tolerated in order to systematically adapt the
capacity to a lasting change in demand as long as
the cartel takes into account the competition
conditions in the respective economic sectors141.
Softening or suspending the application of

competition rules? Evidence from the past
Relaxing or sometimes even suspending
competition law and policy experimented during
previous crises as a matter of economic urgency
suggest that such approaches proved to be unwise
since they did not lead to economic benefits but,
on the contrary, to stifling competition and
undermining economic dynamism to the
consumers' disadvantage.
Governments may be therefore inclined to allow an

industry to decide on the structure which could
cope with the new market conditions. These cartels
incur, nevertheless, a major risk concerning
competition and market efficiency. For instance,
Japan's experience142 suggests that the government's
intervention in restricting competition in industries
affected by structural crisis extended Japan's
recession in the 1990s.
The USA experience during the Great Depression

(1929-1933), especially with legalizing the cartels,
following the National Industrial Recovery Act
(NIRA), proved that such an approach may cause
even greater prejudice to economy instead of
helping it. NIRA (1933) came as a reaction to the
industrial decline which took place during the
Depression in the 1930s and determined the price
and production control by the companies
organized into trade associations, which previously
had been illegal, according to the USA antitrust
laws. Finally, NIRA proved to be anti-competitive
and had a small contribution or none at all, to the
economic recovery138. Furthermore, the suspension
of the USA competition laws in the 1930s made the
Great Depression last longer139.
The relaxation of the merger control policy during

previous economic crises was clearly directed
towards promoting protectionist policies 143 .
Moreover, there is a risk, which cannot be
underestimated, that in the context of market
globalization, the protection of national players
and interests by state loans and guarantees might
lead to a competition among different states for
subsidizing their industries, having disastrous
consequences on third countries, public deficits
and taxpayers.
138
See, for instance, Harold L. Cole and Lee E. Ohanian, New Deal
Policies and the Persistence of the Great Depression: A General
Equilibrium Analysis, Journal of Political Economy, University of
Chicago Press, (2004, vol. 112(4), pp. 779-816, August);
139
on 20 January 2009, available on:
140
J. Taylor, The Output Effects of Government Sponsored Cartels
during the New Deal, Journal of Industrial Economics, Vol. 50(1),
(2002, pp. 1-10).
141
Cambridge Publishing House, (2004, p. 9).
142
See, for instance, Hayashi and Prescott, The 1990s in Japan: A
lost decade, Review of Economic Dynamics, 2002 or Bill Emmott
Rivals Chapter 8, How the struggle between China, India and Japan
will shape our next decade, Penguin 2008.
143
Elena Carletti, European University Institute, Background Note
on Competition and Financial Markets prepared for OECD Global
65
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n acest sens, ajutorul acordat de guvernul

American corporaiei Chrysler este probabil cel mai
cunoscut exemplu de salvare a unei firme de la
faliment cu bani publici, din istoria economic a
SUA, nainte de intervenia guvernului de la
sfritul anului trecut pentru salvarea industriei
americane auto. Problemele financiare ale lui
Chrysler au provenit n special din faptul c nu a
raspuns suficient de prompt la cerinele
consumatorilor pentru maini mai mici i cu
consum mai mic de combustibil. Chrlysler, care era
n prag de faliment a primit 1.2 mld. $ USD sub
form de garanii federale ale mprumutului. G.
William Miller, Guvernatorul Trezoreriei pe vremea
acordrii acestor garanii a spus ca exist un interes
public pentru meninerea locurilor de munc i a
unei industrii auto naionale competitive144. La
rndul su, Lee Iacocca, preedintele Chrysler
asigura c garaniile guvernamentale, contigentele
la import, precum i o politic industrial bine
definit vor fi cheia succesului corporaiilor
americane n anii ce vor urma145.
locuri de munc din potenialul faliment a lui

147
Chrysler erau estimate la peste 720000 , n
realitate, sprijinul guvernamental oferit lui Chrysler
a salvat numai o parte din aceste locuri de munc
pe termen scurt.
Posibile rspunsuri ale politicii de concuren la
criza economic i financiar actual
Spre deosebire de un boom economic, situaie n
care juctorii ineficieni pot supravieui i chiar
dezvolta, o recesiune tinde s scoat de pe pia
juctorii mai puin eficieni.
Argumentul de firm aflat n dificultatei
politica de control al concentrrilor economice
n contextul crizei financiare, concentrrile
economice cu scopul de salvare a bncilor aflate n
dificultate la fel ca i naionalizarea bncilor de
ctre Statele Membre UE148 au condus la apariia
unor noi provocri n aplicarea regulilor de control
al concentrrilor economice, att din punct de
vedere procedural ct i pe fond.
Prin contrast, Alfred Dougherty, Jr., Directorul

Biroului de Concuren al Comisiei Federale de
Comer la acea vreme susinea n faa Senatului
american:
La prima vedere, pare c termenele stricte de

analiz a concentrrilor economice ar mpiedica
implementarea rapid a fuziunilor sau achiziiilor,
care uneori poate fi de o importan covaritoare
pentru a ine n via o firm aflat n dificultate.
ns, n realitate, aplicarea regulilor de control al
concentrrilor economice constituie un instrument
adecvat i flexibil i pe vremuri de criz n sensul c
nici o regul nu impiedic o autoritate de
concuren s se pronune cu privire la operaiunea
notifcat n mai puin de termenul legal de 30 zile,
dac urmare a analizei, aceasta ajunge la concluzia
c respectiva operaiune nu creaz ingrijorri
legate de concuren.
Atunci cnd o firm a interpretat n mod eronat sau

a fost incapabil s satisfac nevoile i preferinele
consumatorului, exist puine motive reale pentru
care aceast firm sa fie meninut artifical pe pia
prin sprijin financiar. Mai degrab reciproca este
valabil. Eecul firmei marete eficiena alocativ
prin nlaturarea unui utilizator ineficient al
resurselor economice146.
Garaniile federale de tipul celor oferite lui Chrysler
n 1980 au avut efectul de eviciune a investiiilor
private fcnd ca mprumuturile altor firme,
precum i ale persoanelor fizice de pe piaa
creditelor s fie mai greu de obinut i mai scumpe.
Dac Chrysler ar fi fost mpins spre faliment,
resursele pe care corporaia le controla s-ar fi putut
ndrepta ctre ali juctori mai eficieni de pe piaa
auto sau din afara acesteia. Dei pierderile de
Cu toate acestea, n practic, putem constata c

adaptarea regulilor procedurale privind controlul
concentrrilor economice la contextul actual
economic nu a fost nc necesar nici la nivel
comunitar nici n SUA.
144
147
Chrysler's Crisis Bailout, Time Magazine (20 august, 1979).

Hickel, James K., The Chrysler Bail-Out Bust, Backgrounder 276
(1983, July, 13, p. 1).
146
Declaraia lui Alfred F. Dougherty, Jr., Director, Bureau of
Competition, Federal Trade
Commission, in fata Senatul
American cu privire la Government Assistance to Chrysler
Corporation (10 octombrie 1979, p.2).
Ibidem nota 13.

A se nota c Statele Unite nu au naionalizat bnci nici mcar n
timpul Marii Depresii din 1929. Cu toate acestea, n prezent, exist
tot mai multe voci care susin c naionalizarea bncilor este ultima
soluie pentru resuscitarea instituiilor financiare din SUA, dupa
modelul suedez din anii 1990.
145
148
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In this respect, the aid granted by the US

government to Chrysler Corporation is probably
the best known example from the US economic
history of saving a company from bankruptcy with
public money, before the government intervention
at the end of last year for rescuing American car
industry. Chrysler's financial difficulties were
caused mainly by the fact that it did not respond
promptly enough to the consumers' demands for
smaller and low fuel consumption cars. Chrysler,
which was on the verge of bankruptcy, received
US$ 1.2 billion as federal guarantees of the loan. G.
William Miller, Governor of the Treasury at the time
these guarantees were granted, said that there is a
public interest for saving these jobs and a
competitive national car industry149. At his turn,
Lee Iacocca, Chrysler's president, claimed that
governmental guarantees, import quotas and a
well-defined industrial policy will be the key to
success for American corporations in years to
come150.
On the contrary, Alfred Dougherty, Jr., Director of
the Competition Bureau of the Federal Trade
Commission at that time, declared before the
American Senate:
it. Although job losses caused by Chrysler's

potential bankruptcy were estimated to over
720,000152, in fact, the federal bailout of Chrysler
saved only part of these jobs in the short run.
Possible answers of competition policy to the
present economic and financial crisis
Unlike an economic boom, when inefficient
players can survive and even develop, a recession
tends to take the less efficient players out of the
market.
The failing firm defense argument and the
merger control policy
In the context of the financial crisis, rescue mergers
between banks as well as nationalization of banks
by Member States153 have given rise to new
challenges in the application of merger control
rules, in terms of both procedural and substantive
aspects.
At first sight, it seems that the tight deadlines
characterizing the review of economic
concentrations by the competition authorities
would impede the quick implementation of
mergers or acquisitions that sometimes may be
required to keep a troubled firm operating.
However, the procedural rules regarding mergers
may be adapted when necessary to ensure that
merger control enforcement would be an adequate
and flexible instrument also in times of crisis.
When a company has misperceived or been unable

to satisfy the needs and preferences of the
consumer, there are little reason should normally
exist to preserve the firm through artificial support.
Rather, the opposite is generally true. The failure of
the firm increases allocative efficiency by removing
an inefficient user of economic resources151.
However, so far, adapting the procedural rules

governing merger control to the current economic
framework has not been required either for the EU
or for the US.
The federal guarantees such as those granted to

Chrysler in 1980 had the effect of crowding out
private investments and therefore loans for other
companies as well as for natural persons in the
credit market became more expensive and more
difficult to obtain. If Chrysler had been pushed into
bankruptcy, the resources controlled by the
corporation could have been directed to other
more efficient players in the car market or outside
149
152
Chrysler's Crisis Bailout, Time Magazine (August 20, 1979).

Hickel, James K., The Chrysler Bail-Out Bust, Backgrounder 276
(1983, July, 13, p. 1).
151
Statement of Alfred F. Dougherty, Jr., Director, Bureau of
Competition, Federal Trade Commission, before the American
Senate concerning Government Assistance to Chrysler Corporation
(October 10, 1979, p.2).
Ibidem note 13.

To be noted that USA did not nationalize banks even during the
Great Depression of 1929. However, nowadays, more and more
voices claim that nationalizing banks would be the last solution for
reviving US financial institutions, according to the Swedish model in
the 90's.
150
153
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Subveniile guvernamentale pentru sprijinirea

firmelor nefinanciare: rspunsul politicii de
concuren i efectele economice
Din punct de vedere al analizei pe fond a

concentrrilor economice, att n reglementrile
SUA ct i n cele ale UE din domeniu, prile
implicate n operaiunea de concentrare
economic pot s se prevaleze de argumentul
firm aflat n dificultate. Cnd, n absena unei
concentrri economice, una din prile la
concentrare este foarte probabil s falimenteze,
concentrarea economic poate fi acceptat ca
nefiind o nclcare a Seciunii 7 din Actul
Clayton154, respectiv a reglementrilor comunitare
privind controlul concentrrilor economice155.
Subveniile acordate firmelor pot de asemenea s

distorsioneze concurena i s reduc eficiena prin
sprijinirea firmelor mai puin eficiente sau care au
produse sau servicii mai puin atractive. n aceste
condiii, politica industrial reprezint o mare
provocare pentru autoritile de concuren, mai
ales datorit presiunii exercitate de productori i
de sindicate. Abordarea corect ar fi ca autoritile
de concuren s identifice mai degrab
elementele unei strategii industriale proconcureniale dect s pun accentul pe tensiunile
inerente dintre aceste importante ramuri ale
politicii economice. n aceeai ordine de idei,
autoritile de concuren ar trebui s identifice i
s pledeze mpotriva acelor elemente ale unei
strategii industriale care au potenialul cel mai
ridicat de distorsionare a concurenei pe pia.
Acest argument joac un rol important n politica

de concuren, prin asigurarea faptului c
reglementrile privind concentrrile economice nu
conduc n mod inutil la ieirea activelor societii n
stare de insolven de pe piaa relevant. Totui,
aceptarea acestui argument se produce arareori,
ntruct prile implicate n operaiunea de
concentrare economic au sarcina de a demonstra
c nu exist un alt cumprtor pe pia astfel nct
operaiunea de concentrare economic s
produc un efect anticoncurenial mai puin
duntor.
Sprijinul guvernamental pentru dezvoltarea

industrial, n ansamblu, i nu pentru a privilegia o
firm sau alta este o posibil soluie care nu
distorsioneaz mecanismele concureniale ale
pieei. Ajutoarele de stat pentru dezvoltarea
resurselor umane sau a infrastructurii fizice sau
cercetare-dezvoltare toate reprezentnd de altfel
constrangeri de politic industrial - arareori sau
chiar niciodat nu vor intra n conflict cu politica i
legea concurenei i reprezint de altfel opiunea
actual a UE156 n faa presiunilor exercitate de
politica industrial.
Mai mult dect att, ntr-o ncetinire economic,

din ce n ce mai multe firme pot deveni
falimentare, fcnd ca acest argument de firm
aflat n dificultate s fie din ce n ce mai invocat.
Iat de ce trebuie avut n vedere i motivul real
pentru care tot mai multe firme dau faliment ntrun astfel de context economic.
Prin urmare, provocrile actuale nu justific
relaxarea sau suspendarea temporar a regulilor
actuale n domeniul concentrrilor economice. n
plus, regulile procedurale din domeniu coroborate
cu o vigilen sporit din partea autoritilor de
concuren garanteaz o aplicare eficient a
regulilor de control al concentrrilor economice i
de o manier care s sprijine redresarea economic
a firmelor aflate n dificultate.
Cu toate acestea, n cadrul planului european de

redresare economic, Comisia European a
adoptat, n decembrie 2008, un cadru temporar,
oferind statelor membre posibiliti suplimentare
de combatere a efectelor restrngerii creditrii
asupra economiei reale. Acest nou cadru introduce
un numr de msuri temporare care permit statelor
membre s remedieze dificultile excepionale cu
care se confrunt ntreprinderile n ceea ce privete
accesul la surse de finanare.
154
A se consulta, spre exemplu, cazul United States vs. General
Dynamics Corp., 415 U.S. 486 (1974) i instruciunile privind
concentrarile economice orizontale ale autoritilor de concuren
din SUA (1997).
155
A se consulta, Instruciunile privind evaluarea concentrrilor
orizontale, n conformitate cu Regulamentul CE privind controlul
concentrrilor economice ntre ageni economici (Regulamentul

CE nr. 139/2004), Monitorul oficial C-31, 05.02.2004.
156
A se consulta documentul EU State aid policy and the car
industry
http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/automotive/pagesbackground/com
petitiveness/com_2009_104/annex_2.pdf.
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The government bailouts for assisting nonfinancial companies: the response of the
competition policy and the economic effects
From the viewpoint of the substantive aspects of

merger control, under both US and EC antitrust
laws, merging companies may avail themselves of
the failing firm defense doctrine. When, absent a
merger, one of the merging parties would very likely
fail, the merger may be found not to violate Section
7 of the Clayton Act157, respectively the EC Merger
Regulation no. 139/2004158.
Subsidies to firms can also distort competition and

reduce efficiency by inducing more supply from
firms that are less efficient or that have less
attractive products or services. Under these
circumstances, the industrial policy represents a
great challenge for the competition authorities,
mainly due to the pressure exercised by the
producers and trade unions. The correct approach
would be that competition authorities would
identify the elements for an industrial procompetitive strategy rather than to focus on the
inherent tensions between these important
branches of economic policy.
This argument plays an important role in

competition policy by ensuring that merger law
does not unnecessarily lead to assets exiting a
relevant market. Its application, however, is
narrow because merging parties bear the burden of
proof that there is no alternative purchaser that
would create a less anticompetitive effect.
Moreover, in an economic slowdown, more and
more companies can become bankrupt making the
failing firm defense argument more and more
frequently invoked. As a result, one should not
neglect the real reasons behind the greater number
of failing firms in times of economic crisis.
The government support for industrial

development as a whole and not in order to favor a
particular company is a possible solution which
does not alter the market competition
mechanisms. The state aid for developing human
resources or physical infrastructure or researchdevelopment all representing such industrial
policy constraints will seldom, if ever, come into
conflict with competition policy and law and
represent the present EU159 option under the
pressures brought by industrial policy.
As a consequence, the present challenges do not

justify the temporary relaxation or suspension of
the present rules on economic concentrations. In
addition, the procedural rules in the field together
with an increased vigilance of the competition
authorities guarantee an efficient enforcement of
merger control and in a way that should support the
economic recovery of the companies under
difficulties.
However, in the context of its European economic

recovery plan, on December 2008, the
Commission adopted a temporary framework
providing Member States with additional ways of
tackling the effects of the credit squeeze on the real
economy. This new framework introduces a
number of temporary measures to allow Member
States to address companies' exceptional
difficulties in obtaining finance.
157
See, for instance the case United States vs. General Dynamics
Corp., 415 U.S. 486 (1974) and the Horizontal Merger
Guidelines of US DOJ&FTC (1997).
158
See the EC Notice-Guidelines on the assessment of horizontal
mergers under the Council Regulation on the control of
concentrations between undertakings, O.J. C-31, 05.02.2004.

See document EU State aid policy and the car industry:
http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/automotive/pagesbackground/c
ompetitiveness/com_2009_104/annex_2.pdf.
159
69
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n special, statele membre vor putea acorda, fr

obligaia de notificare a cazurilor individuale,
mprumuturi subvenionate, reducerea primelor
de plat pentru garaniile de mprumuturi, capital
de risc pentru IMM-uri i ajutoare directe n valoare
de maximum 500 000 EUR. Aceste ajutoare sunt
permise pn la sfritul anului 2010 i pot fi
acordate firmelor care nu se aflau n dificultate la
data de 1 iulie 2008, dar care au nceput s aib
dificulti dup aceast dat. Cu alte cuvinte, se
presupune c aceste firme se afl n dificultate nu
pentru c modelul lor de afaceri este greit, ci
pentru c sunt afectate de criza global financiar i
economic.
dovezile sunt moderate i nu prea utile n

explicarea valului curent de restructurare i de
consolidare a sistemului financiar164.
Dup 1980 i n particular, n ultimul deceniu,
sectorul financiar, att n Europa ct i n SUA a
trecut printr-un proces de transformare profund.
Dereglementarea i globalizarea au sporit
presiunea competitiv asupra firmelor care
opereaz n sector.
Noi actori, cum ar fi
companiile de asigurare, furnizorii de carduri de
credit i companiile nefinanciare, au ptruns pe
segmente de pia care erau considerate teritoriul
bncilor.
Rspunsul politicii de concuren n sectorul

financiar
Analiza empiric mai recent165 tinde s ilustreze c

restriciile impuse prin intermediul reglementrilor
care au menirea de a restriciona concurena n
sector ar conduce la slbirea stabilitii sistemului
financiar.
Concurena este un mecanism economic

fundamental, care are rolul de a atinge eficiena i
de a spori prosperitatea consumatorului. Cu toate
acestea, n sectorul financiar, conceptul de
eficien trebuie lrgit pentru a include
considerente legate de stabilitate si securitate
financiara datorit particularitilor sectorului cum
ar fi externalitile i asimetria informaiei160.
Prin urmare, cu cteva excepii, i atitudinea cu

privire la politica de concuren n sectorul bancar
s-a schimbat dramatic.
n SUA, exceptarea de facto a sectorului bancar de
la aplicarea regulilor de concuren a fost puternic
anticipat de deciziile Curii Supreme n cazurile
United States v. Philadelphia National Bank and
United States v. Lexington din 1963 si 1964166. De
altfel, i n prezent, instituiile financiare din SUA
beneficiaz de tratament oarecum aparte fa de
firmele care activeaz n alte sectoare economice.
Recunoaterea beneficiilor concurenei n acest

sector a fost dintotdeauna controversat. Pn n
1980, att n literatura academic ct i n sfera
politicilor a prevalat idea c manifestarea unei
concurene sporite n sectorul financiar poate
determina instituiile financiare s se angajeze n
activiti mai riscante, pentru a obine profit cu
orice pre161. n aceste condiii, probabilitatea
apariiei i perpeturii eecurilor unor bnci, era
apreciat ca fiind mai mare, determinnd crize
bancare. Concurena era perceput mai mult ca o
ameninare la stabilitatea sistemului financiar iar
reglementarea ca cea mai bun cale de rezolvare a
eecului pieelor162.
S-a comentat de multe ori ns i c mrimea firmei
i sfera de activitate au o importan covritoare n
domeniul bancar n sensul c un sistem bancar cu
bnci mari i diversificate poate fi protejat mai bine
de instabilitate163. Boot a ajuns la concluzia c
Astfel, pragurile de aplicare a indicelui HHI

(Herfindahl-Hirshman INDEX) pentru stabilirea
gradului de concentrare pe piaa relevant sunt mai
nalte n sectorul financiar-bancar fa de cele care
se aplic n cazul celorlalte sectoare economice. n
plus, activitile de investigaie i decizie cu privire
la concentrrile economice din sectorul financiar
bancar aparin pe de o parte reglementatorului
OCC, FDIC sau FED i pe de alta parte,
Departamentului de Justiie din Statele Unite,
cruia i se recunoate posibilitatea legal de-a
ataca n instan decizia reglementatorului de
sector.
160
Dell'Ariccia, G., Asymmetric Information and the Structure of the
Banking Industry, European EconomicReview, 45, (2001, p. 19571980).
161
Degryse H. and S. Ongena, Competition and Regulation in the
Banking Sector: A Review of the Empirical Evidence on the sources of
bank rents, in A. Thakor and A. Boot (eds.), Handbook of Financial
Intermediation and Banking, Elsevier, (2008, p. 483-542).
162
A se consulta, spre exemplu, lucrarea de succes a lui Allen, F. and D.
Gale, Competition and Stability, Journal of Money, Credit and Banking,
36(3), (2004, p. 453-480)
163
Degryse H. and S. Ongena (2007). Background Note in Competition
and Regulation in Retail Banking, OECD, p. 15-58.
164
Boot, A.W.A., Consolidation and strategic positioning in banking with
implications for Europe, in R.E. Litan and R. Herring (eds), BrookingWharton Papers on Financial Services, (2003, p. 3784) sau Boot, A.,
Financial services: consolidation and strategic positioning, in
International Handbook of Competition, chapter V, edited by Manfred
Neumann and Jurgen Weigand, (2004, p. 133-165).
165
Beck, T., A. Demirguc-Kunt, and R. Levine, Bank Concentration,
Competition and Crises, Journal of banking and Finance, 30, (2004,
p.1581-1603).
166
Bianco, M., F. Ghezzi i P. Magnani, L'Applicazione della Disciplina
Antitrust nel Settore Bancario Statunitense, in M. Polo (ed), Industria
Bancaria e Concorrenza, Bologna: Il Mulino, (1998, p.143-258).
70
3/2009
In particular, Member States are able to grant,

without notification of individual cases, subsidized
loans, loan guarantees at a reduced premium, risk
capital for SMEs and direct aids of up to EUR
500,000. These aids are allowed until the end of
2010 and may be granted to firms which were not
in difficulty on 1st of July 2008, but entered into
difficulty thereafter. In other words, it is presumed
that these firms are in difficulty not because their
business model is wrong, but because they are
affected by the global financial and economic
crises.
that evidence is moderate and not too useful for

explaining the present wave of restructuring and
consolidation of the financial system171.
After 1980 and especially during the last decade,
the financial sector both in Europe and in the USA
has gone through a process of deep transformation.
Deregulation and globalization have increased the
competitive pressure on the companies operating
within this sector. New players, such as insurance
companies, credit card suppliers and non-financial
companies have penetrated market segments that
were considered to be the banks' territory.
The response of competition policy in the

financial sector
The more recent empirical analysis172 tends to

illustrate that restrictions imposed by the
regulations designed to restrict competition in this
sector would lead to a substantial weakening of the
stability of the financial system173. Therefore, with
some exceptions, the attitude towards competition
policy in the banking sector changed dramatically.
Competition is a fundamental economic

mechanism to achieve efficiency and enhance
consumer welfare. However, in the financial sector,
the concept of efficiency should be enlarged in
order to include aspects concerning financial
stability and security due to the particularities of
this sector such as externalities and information
asymmetry167.
In the USA, the de facto exclusion of the banking

sector from the application of competition rules
was strongly anticipated by the decisions of the
Supreme Court in the cases United States vs.
Philadelphia National Bank and United States vs.
Lexington in 1963 and 1964174. In fact, even at
present, the US financial institutions benefit from a
somehow special treatment compared to the
companies operating in other economic sectors.
Recognizing the benefits of competition in this

sector was always controversial. Until 1980 the
idea prevailing both in the academic literature and
policy sector was that an increased competition in
the financial sector may determine financial
institutions to take on more risky activities, in order
to obtain profit at any cost168. Under these
circumstances, the probability of bank failures to
appear and be perpetuated was considered to be
higher, generating bank crises. Competition was
perceived more as a threat to the stability of the
financial system and regulation as the best way to
solve market failures169.
Thus, the thresholds for applying the HHI

(Herfindahl - Hirshman INDEX) index in order to
identify the concentration degree on the relevant
market are higher in the financial-banking sector
than those applying in the case of the other
economic sectors. Furthermore, the investigation
and the decision-making activities relating to the
operations of economic concentrations in the
financial-banking sector belong to OCC, FDIC or
FED regulator, on the one hand, and to the US
Department of Justice, on the other hand, which is
allowed to bring action against the decision of the
sector regulator.
It has often been noted, though, that the size of the

company and its field of activity have an
overwhelming importance in the banking sector in
the sense that a banking system with great and
diversified banks can be better protected against
instability170. Arnoud Boot reached the conclusion
167
Dell'Ariccia, G., Asymmetric Information and the Structure of the Banking
Industry, European Economic Review, 45, (2001, p. 1957-1980).
168
Degryse H. and S. Ongena, Competition and Regulation in the Banking
Sector: A Review of the Empirical Evidence on the sources of bank rents, in A.
Thakor and A. Boot (eds.), Handbook of Financial Intermediation and
Banking, Elsevier, (2008, p. 483-542).
169
See, for example, the paper of Allen, F. and D. Gale, Competition and
Stability, Journal of Money, Credit and Banking, 36(3), (2004, p. 453-480)
170
Degryse H. and S. Ongena (2007). Background Note in Competition and
Regulation in Retail Banking, OECD, p. 15-58.
171
Boot, A.W.A., Consolidation and strategic positioning in banking with
implications for Europe, in R.E. Litan and R. Herring (eds), Brooking-Wharton
Papers on Financial Services, (2003, pp. 3784) or Boot, A., Financial services:
consolidation and strategic positioning, in International Handbook of

Competition, chapter V, edited by Manfred Neumann and Jurgen Weigand,
(2004, pp. 133-165).
172
Competition and Crises, Journal of banking and Finance, 30, (2004, p.15811603).
173
Competition and Crises, Journal of Banking and Finance, 30, (2004, pp.15811603).
174
Bianco, M., F. Ghezzi and P. Magnani, L'Applicazione della Disciplina
Antitrust nel Settore Bancario Statunitense, in M. Polo (ed), Industria Bancaria
e Concorrenza, Bologna: Il Mulino, (1998, p.143-258).
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3/2009
n Europa, Comisia European a nceput s aplice

prevederile articolelor 85 si 86 ale Tratatului de la
Roma ( devenite n prezent articolele 81 si 82 din
Tratatul CE) sectorului financiar numai odat cu
judecarea cazului Zchner de la inceputul anilor
80175. Pn atunci, sectorul bancar a fost considerat
un sector special, aflat mai degrab sub influena
puternic a politicilor monetare i financiare ale
autoritilor din Statele Membre, dect a forelor
pieei.
se vor aplica msurile de ajutor de stat n sprijinul

instituiilor financiare n contextul crizei globale
actuale178.
Conform orientrilor definite n aceast
comunicare, Comisia a aprobat n special planurile
de ajutoare pentru instituiile financiare ntocmite
de mai multe State Membre179. n decembrie 2008,
Comisia a completat documentul orientativ din 13
octombrie, printr-o comunicare privind modul n
care statele membre pot recapitaliza bncile
pentru a crete fluxul de creditare ctre economia
real, n conformitate cu normele comunitare
aplicabile ajutoarelor de stat (Comunicarea cu
privire la sectorul bancar).
Se poate constata aadar c problema stabilirii

pragului optim al puterii de pia n acest sector
rmne deschis. Pe de o parte, minimizarea
costurilor i eficiena alocativ par s susin
beneficiile manifestrii concurenei n sectorul
bancar, iar pe de alt parte, concurena acerb pare
s conduc la rezultate de pia ineficiente i
nedorite, cum ar fi restriciile de creditare sau
retragerile masive din bnci, datorit
particularitilor acestui sector.
Pe msur ce criza a cptat o dimensiune

sistemic, Comisia a luat decizii cu privire la alte
msuri temporare care s fie aplicabile n sectorul
financiar, n ideea de a crea cadrul necesar care s
permit Statelor Membre s recapitalizeze bncile
n scopul asigurrii de mprumuturi economiei
reale (Comunicarea cu privire la recapitalizarea
instituiilor financiare), precum i de a cura
bilanurile bncilor (Comunicarea privind activele
toxice ale bncilor).
Tocmai datorit acestei controversate legturi

dintre concuren i stabilitate, sectorul financiar a
fost, n mod tradiional, subiectul reglementrii i
supervizrii, i, mai puin, supus forelor de pia i
privirii atente a autoritilor concurenei176.
n vederea facilitrii relaiei dintre politica de

concuren i intervenia public, CE a publicat n
decembrie 2008 o Comunicare n care arat cum
Totui, la nivel comunitar, necesitatea minimizrii

distorsiunilor de concuren se impune i n acest
sector ca i n alte sectoare de activitate i, astfel,
bncile care au beneficiat de garanii, pachetele de
msuri de salvare i restructurare i alte msuri
pentru salvare trebuie s furnizeze planuri de
restructurare i s dovedeasc transparen, prin
informarea Comisiei Europene cu privire la activele
toxice. Aceste planuri de restructurare urmresc
restaurarea viabilitii pe termen mediu i lung,
limitarea ajutorului de stat la minimul necesar,
adic participarea privat la acoperirea costurilor
restructurrii i introducerea unor msuri
compensatorii care s limiteze distorsiunile de
concuren rezultnd din eecul bncilor aflate
nc n operare i extragerea cotelor de pia de la
bncile viabile. Dei restaurarea viabilitii ar trebui
s asigure c firma nu va solicita sprijin adiional de
la stat, lichidarea poate constitui la fel de bine o
alternativ real la restructurare.
175
Curtea Europeana de Justiie, 14-07-1981, C 172/80, Gerhard
Zchner c. Bayerische Vereinsbank AG.
176
Carletti E. and X. Vives, Regulation and Competition Policy in the
Banking Sector in X. Vives (ed.), Assessment and Perspectives of
Competition Policy in Europe, Oxford University Press, 2008.
177
Brusco S. and F. Castiglionesi, Liquidity Coinsurance, Moral Hazard
and Financial Contagion, Journal of Finance, 62, (2007, p. 2275-
2302).
178
Comunicarea CE 2008/c 270/02 din 25.10.2008 cu privire la
aplicarea regulilor de ajutor de stat n domeniul instituiilor financiare n
contextul crizei financiare globale.
179
Situaia general a Ajutoarelor de Stat acordate din fiecare Stat
membru al UE Primvara anului 2009, Bruxelles, 08.04.2009, COM
(2009) 164.
Totui, serviciile financiare sunt unice n sensul c

exist un risc de contaminare sistemic177 dac
firmele falimenteaz. Faptul c bncile se disting
fundamental de alte domenii de activitate (eecul
unei bnci poate conduce la eecul nlnuit al altor
bnci n timp ce n alte domenii de activitate,
ieirea de pe pia a unui juctor ar fi n interesul
concurenilor) ar putea justifica n mod excepional
intervenia guvernului. ntr-adevr, experiena
bncii Lehman Brothers indic faptul c dispariia
necontrolat a juctorilor ineficieni de pe piaa
bancar poate s afecteze celelalte bnci de pe
pia. De altfel, costurile sociale ale neinterveniei
n acest sector exced, foarte probabil, costurile
private ale acionarilor i creditorilor.
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3/2009
In Europe, the European Commission started to

apply the provisions of articles 85 and 86 of the
Treaty of Rome (which became articles 81 and 82
of the EC Treaty) to the financial sector only at the
beginning of the 1980's when the Zchner case was
on trial180. Until then, the banking sector had been
considered a special sector, placed rather under the
strong influence of the monetary and financial
policies of the authorities in the Member States
than under the influence of the market forces.
In order to facilitate the relationship between

competition policy and public intervention, EC
adopted in October 2008 a Communication
showing the way in which state aid rules apply to
the measures taken in support of
financial
institutions in the context of the current global crisis
(Banking communication)182.
On December 2008, the Commission
complemented the guidance document of 13
October by issuing a communication on how
Member States can recapitalise banks to boost
credit flows to the real economy in a manner
consistent with Community state aid rules
(Recapitalisation Communication).
One may notice, therefore, that the problem of

establishing the optimum level of market power in
this sector still remains open. On the one hand,
minimizing the costs and the allocative efficiency
seem to sustain the benefits of competition in the
banking sector and, on the other hand, fierce
competition seems to lead to inefficient and
undesirable market results, such as credit
restrictions or massive bank withdrawals due to the
particularities of this sector.
As the crisis became a systemic one, the

Commission made another important decision
targeted to the financial sector, so to create the
necessary framework that would allow Member
States to clean-up balance sheets (Impaired Asset
Communication).
Precisely because of this controversial relationship

between competition and stability, the financial
sector was, traditionally, subject to regulation and
supervision and less to market forces and to a close
monitoring by competition authorities181.
However, at the community level, limiting

competition distortions is vital in this sector just as
in other sectors and, thus, the rescued banks which
benefited from guarantee schemes, and
restructuring packages and other measures must
provide restructuring plans and prove transparency
by informing the European Commission with
regard to the toxic assets. These restructuring plans
aim to restore the long-term viability, to limit State
aid to the minimum necessary (the private
participation in covering restructuring costs) and to
introduce certain compensatory measures in order
to limit competition distortions resulting from the
failure of banks still operating and extracting market
shares from viable banks. Although restoring
viability should guarantee that the company will
not request additional State Aid, liquidation may
very well be a real alternative to restructuring.
However, financial services are unique in that there

is a systematic contagion risk if firms fail. The fact
that banks are fundamentally different from other
businesses (i.e., the failure of one bank may lead to
a run on others, as opposed to other sectors where
the removal of one player would normally be in
competitors' interests) may exceptionally justify
government intervention. Indeed, the experience
of Lehman Brothers has shown that the
uncontrolled disappearance of players with a
flawed business model may effectively hurt the
remaining banks. Actually, the social costs of failure
would greatly exceed the private costs to
shareholders and creditors.
180
European Court of Justice, 14-07-1981, C 172/80, Gerhard Zchner c.
Bayerische Vereinsbank AG.

EC Communication on the application of state aid rules in the
sector of financial institutions in the context of the global financial
crisis, OJ C 270/02/2008, 25.10.2008.
182
181

Banking Sector in X. Vives (ed.), Assessment and Perspectives of
73
3/2009
n circumstanele actuale excepionale, Comisia

Europeana a aprobat o serie de scheme sub form
de capitalizri, garanii, pachete de msuri de
salvare i restructurare i alte msuri avnd ca scop
sprijinirea instituiilor financiare din cteva State
Membre183 cum ar fi Austria, Belgia, Germania,
Frana, Olanda, Luxemburg, Irlanda i Marea
Britanie, cu excepia Romniei, al crei guvern a
depus eforturi n scopul majorrii capitalul bncii
de stat CEC, cu scopul de a stimula creditarea
pentru ntreprinderile mici i mijloci, msur
inclus de altfel n pachetul de msuri anti-criz al
guvernului Romniei. Cu toate acestea,
recapitalizarea bncii romneti cu capital de stat
CEC a fost apreciat de Comisia European ca o
form de ajutor de stat n ciuda eforturilor depuse
de Consiliul Concurenei din Romnia de a
convinge Comisia European de a nu califica
msura de capitalizare a CEC- ului astfel. n cele din
urm, recapitalizarea CEC-ului s-a produs dar ca
parte din profitul obinut anul trecut de ctre CEC.
Mai mult dect att, se pare c ar fi mult mai uor s
se obin aprobarea dac banca s-ar fi aflat n
dificultate. ns CEC nu se afl n aceasta situaie.
ntrziat a economiei americane, ca urmare a

depresiunii din anii 1930 relev, la rndul su,
costurile suspendrii politicii i legii concurenei.
Am evideniat pe parcursul lucrrii c o lege i
politic a concurenei prea puin flexibile pot afecta
i mai mult economia pe termen scurt; ns, i
viceversa am artat c este valabil: n cazul n care
sunt prea flexibile, legea i politica concurenei pot
afecta i mai mult economia pe termen lung, prin
prejudicierea investiiilor i inovrii.
Prin urmare, poate c ntr-un asemenea context,
politica de promovare a regulilor de concuren
trebuie exercitat cu mai mult aplomb dect
oricnd. Numai o astfel de atitudine din partea
unei autoriti de concuren poate garanta
supremaia politicii de concuren atunci cnd noi
reglementri i iniiative politice se vor creiona.
Altfel spus, este extrem de necesar funcionarea
unei colaborari strnse ntre autoritatea de
concuren, autoritile de reglementare din
s e c t o r u l f i n a n c i a r- b a n c a r i i n s t i t u i i l e
guvernamentale, nainte de adoptarea politicilor
necesare n domeniul financiar i nefinanciar, n
scopul prevenirii posibilelor efecte
anticoncureniale ale acestora.
Concluzii
Concurena este nucleul de baz al pieelor pe
deplin funcionale. ns, n recesiune, autoritile
de concuren trebuie s fac o alegere adeseori
dificil ntre soluionarea unor probleme reale de
concuren i probleme unde intervenia politicii i
legii concurenei este mai puin evident ns unde
presiunile publice sunt mari.
Putem concluziona, aadar, c flexibilitatea

regulilor de concuren este necesar n
contextul actual, ns aceasta nu trebuie
perceput n sensul de suspendare, chiar i
temporar, a aplicrii principiilor de concuren,
ci n sensul unei relaxri a procedurilor de lucru,
att n domeniul concentrrilor economice ct i
n domeniul ajutorului de stat.
Experiena SUA, precum i a altor ri n crizele

economice i financiare anterioare indic faptul c
relaxarea principiilor legii concurenei prin
abordri ca cele ilustrate, cum ar fi o mai mare
aplecare ctre concentrri economice n industria
financiar sau subvenionarea selectiv i
necontrolat a instituiilor financiare i
nefinanciare este puin probabil s contribuie la
soluionarea crizei economice att pe termen scurt
ct i pe termen lung. Exemplul de revitalizare
183
Situaia general a Ajutoarelor de Stat acordate din fiecare Stat
membru al UE Primvara anului 2009, Bruxelles, 08.04.2009, COM
74
3/2009
Under current exceptional circumstances, the

European Commission approved the aid plans to
bail out the banks through capitalization, state
guarantees, rescue and restructuring packages and
other measures put in place by several Member
States184 such as Austria, Belgium, Germany, France,
the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Ireland and the UK,
but for Romania, whose Government has strived to
increase the capital of its state-owned bank CEC,
aiming at stimulating lending for SMEs as part of its
anti-crisis package of measures. However, the
recapitalization of the State-controlled CEC bank
was deemed by the EC as a form of state aid,
despite the efforts deployed by Romanian
Competition Council of persuading the European
Commission not to label it as such. Eventually, the
recapitalization of CEC was achieved but as part of
the profit CEC registered in 2008. Moreover, it
seems that it would have been much easier to get
the approval if the bank would have been in
difficulty. But this was not the case of CEC.
I have underlined throughout the paper that a too

inflexible competition law and policy may
jeopardize more the economy in the short-run; but
also the other way around is true: if it is too flexible,
competition law and policy may jeopardize more
the economy in the long-run by undermining
investments and innovation. Therefore, probably
in such a context, the advocacy policy should be
put into practice more intensely than ever. Only
such an attitude coming from a competition
authority can guarantee the supremacy of
competition policy when new regulations and
political initiatives come into force.
In other words, it is extremely essential an
increased and well functioning dialogue between
the competition authority, financial regulators and
Governmental institutions in the process of drafting
due policies relating to the financial and nonfinancial sector so to prevent their potential
anticompetitive effects.
To conclude, the flexibility of competition policy
is required in the current economic context but
this flexibility must not be understood in the
sense of setting aside the application of
competition principles but in the sense of
relaxing working procedures both in the field of
economic concentrations and state aid field.
Conclusions
Competition is central to well-functioning markets.
But, in a recession, competition agencies often face
a difficult trade-off between doing work that
addresses real harm and addressing issues that raise
huge public concerns but where there is not a
competition problem, or not an intervention that
could make things better.
US experience, as well as that of other countries in
the previous economic and financial crisis suggest
that relaxing the principles of competition law by
approaches such as those illustrated above (for
instance, a greater demand for economic
concentrations in the financial industry or selective
and uncontrolled subsidies granted to financial and
non-financial institutions) is less likely to contribute
to putting an end to the economic crisis both in the
short and long run. The example of the delayed
recovery from the depression in the 1930s clearly
showed the costs inflicted, when competition rules
not applied.
184
State Aid Scoreboard, Spring 2009 Update, 08.04.2009,
Brussels, COM(2009) 164.
75
3/2009
Post Scriptum redactor ef :
Bibliografie
Problema problemelor ntr-o criz economic prelungit

(mondial) este ca legea de baz a economiei de pia: legea
Concurenei poate ajuta salvarea situaiei deosebit de precare din
economie, finane i din instituiile statului i respectiv n politica
economic.
Allen, F. and D. Gale, Competition and Stability, Journal of Money,

Credit and Banking, 36(3), 2004.
1.
2.
Cnd economia cade, firmele mor i falimentele sunt la

ordinea zilei iar plata salariilor i pensiilor este tot mai grea
pentru un guvern n deriv, care este calea de urmat ?
Arnoud Boot, Consolidation and strategic positioning in banking

with implications for Europe, in R.E. Litan and R. Herring (eds),
Brooking-Wharton Papers on Financial Services, 2003.
Opinia noastr sun astfel: dac recesiunea este peste 8,5% confirmat i de expertii FMI , deficitul bugetar tinde tot ctre
8,5% i omajul se apropie vertiginos de 8% asistnd la un
deficit financiar gemene etc. Cum poate aciona legea
concurenei n aceste condiii deosebit de vitrege? S nu
revenim oare la un protecionism pe o perioad limitat?
3.
Incercm s formulm nite rspunsuri la problemele ridicate

la pct. 1 i pct. 2 :
avem nevoie de o bun guvernare cu msuri ce se adreseaz

n primul rnd economiei reale i vizeaz segmentul
structural al crizei;
este nevoie de msuri sustenabile, repetate, care favorizeaz

autoregenerarea pieelor care au suferit cel mai mult din
cauza crizei ( piata imobiliar, piaa creditelor bancare,piaa
muncii etc);
Arnoud Boot, Financial services: consolidation and strategic

positioning, in International Handbook of Competition, chapter V,
edited by Manfred Neumann and Jurgen Weigand, 2004.
Beck, T., A. Demirguc-Kunt, & R. Levine, Bank Concentration,

Competition and Crises, Journal of banking and Finance, nr. 30,
2004.
Bianco, M., F. Ghezzi & P. Magnani, L'Applicazione della Disciplina
Antitrust nel Settore Bancario Statunitense, in M. Polo (ed),
Industria Bancaria e Concorrenza, Bologna: Il Mulino, (1998,
p.143-258).
Bill Emmott, Rivals Chapter 8, How the struggle between China,
India and Japan will shape our next decade, Penguin 2008.
and Financial Contagion, Journal of Finance, 62, 2007.
Banking Sector, in X. Vives (ed.), Assessment and Perspectives of
stimularea economiei pentru o cretere economic n ritm

nalt prin relansarea ofertei i creterea ocuprii forei de
munc;
Degryse H. and S. Ongena, Background Note in Competition and

Regulation in Retail Banking, OECD, 2007.
administrarea eficient a deficitelor bugetare prin

raionalizarea cheltuielilor i creterii gradului de ncasare
printr-un aparat coercitiv, tiind c sunt sectoare economice
nefiscalizate.

Banking Sector: A Review of the Empirical Evidence on the sources
of bank rents, in A. Thakor and A. Boot (eds.), Handbook of
Financial Intermediation and Banking, Elsevier, 2008.
4.
Opinm pentru ajutoare de stat pentru IMM-uri aflate n

dificultate i pentru construcii de locuine i investitii n
infrastructur.

Banking Industry, European EconomicReview, nr. 45, 2001.
Elena Carletti, European University Institute, Background Note on
Competition and Financial Markets prepared for OECD Global
Cu toate cele 4 tentative de propuneri nu suntem n msur s

rezolvm schimbarea structurii economiei i a pieelor pentru care
este necesar o infuzie de capital strin i credite externe
subsantiale n vederea refacerii echilibrelor i administrarea
majoritii dezechilibrelor netratate de ani de zile.
European Commission, Community Guidelines on State aid for

rescuing and restructuring firms in difficulty, Official Journal C
244/2, 01.10.2004 available at:
http://eurlex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:C:200
4:244:0002:0017:EN:PDF
Mesajul Revistei Profil Concurenta este c :

EXTREMIS MALIS EXTREMA REMEDIA

on 20 January 2009, disponibil la linkul:www.oft.gov.uk/shared_oft/speeches/2009/spe0109.pdf.
N.I.N.
Gellhorn, Ernest and William E. Kovacic. Antitrust Law and

Economics in a Nutshell, 4th ed. West Group: St. Paul., 1994.
76
3/2009
Post Scriptum of the Chief Editor:
Bibliography
The problem of the problems in a prolonged (world) economic crisis

is that the basic law of the market economy -the Competition Lawcan help resolving the precarious status of the economy, of the
finances and of the State's institutions, respectively, from the
political economy.
Allen, F. and D. Gale, Competition and Stability, Journal of Money,

Credit and Banking, 36(3), 2004.
1.
2.
When the economy is falling, firms are dying and bankrupts

are becoming daily issues; the payment of wages are
becoming more and more difficult for a wavering
Government, what is the right way to take?
Arnoud Boot, Financial services: consolidation and strategic

positioning, in International Handbook of Competition, chapter V,
edited by Manfred Neumann and Jurgen Weigand, 2004.
Arnoud Boot, Consolidation and strategic positioning in banking
with implications for Europe, in R.E. Litan and R. Herring (eds),
Brooking-Wharton Papers on Financial Services, 2003.
Our opinion is the following: if the recession is over 8.5%- also

confirmed by the WMF experts-, the budgetary deficit
inclines to 8.5%and the unemployment is closing vertiginously
to 8%and we are witnessing a twin financial deficit etc. How
can Competition Law take action in these very dreadful
circumstances? Are we coming back to a protectionism
limited in time?
Bianco, M., F. Ghezzi & P. Magnani, L'Applicazione della Disciplina

Antitrust nel Settore Bancario Statunitense, in M. Polo (ed), Industria
Bancaria e Concorrenza, Bologna: Il Mulino, (1998, p.143-258).
3.
We are trying to give some answers for the problems

presented at points 1 and 2:
Bill Emmott, Rivals Chapter 8, How the struggle between China,

India and Japan will shape our next decade, Penguin 2008.
we need a good governance with measures addressed

especially to the real economy and envisaging the structural
segment of the crisis;

and Financial Contagion, Journal of Finance, 62, 2007.
we need repeated and sustainable measures, favoring self

regeneration of the markets suffering the most from the crisis
( the real-estate market, credit markets, the labor market etc);
the stimulation of the economy for a rapid economic growth

through re-launcing the offer and increasing labor force
occupation;
4.
the efficient administration of budgetary deficits by

rationalizing the expenses and by increasing the cashing level
by using an coercive apparatus, taking into account the
existence of many non taxed economic sectors.
We are suggesting the use of State aids for SMEs in difficulty
and for housing construction and investments in
infrastructure.
Although we attempted to present 4 proposals, we are not able to

solve the modification of the economy and market structures; for
these aims is necessary an infusion of foreign capital and substantial
external credits for reestablishing the equilibriums and for managing
the majority of the long time untreated disequilibriums.
The message of the Magazine Profil Concurena is the following:
EXTREMIS MALIS EXTREMA REMEDIA
Beck, T., A. Demirguc-Kunt, & R. Levine, Bank Concentration,

Competition and Crises, Journal of banking and Finance, nr. 30,
2004.

Banking Sector, in X. Vives (ed.), Assessment and Perspectives of
Degryse H. and S. Ongena, Background Note in Competition and
Regulation in Retail Banking, OECD, 2007.
Banking Sector: A Review of the Empirical Evidence on the sources
of bank rents, in A. Thakor and A. Boot (eds.), Handbook of
Financial Intermediation and Banking, Elsevier, 2008.
Banking Industry, European Economic Review, nr. 45, 2001.
Elena Carletti, European University Institute, Background Note on
Competition and Financial Markets prepared for OECD Global
European Commission, Community Guidelines on State aid for
rescuing and restructuring firms in difficulty, Official Journal C
244/2, 01.10.2004 available at:http://eurlex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:C:2004:244:000
2:0017:EN:PDF
on 20 January 2009, available at:
N.I.N.
Gellhorn, Ernest and William E. Kovacic, Antitrust Law and

Economics in a Nutshell, 4th ed. West Group: St. Paul., 1994.
77
3/2009
Harold L. Cole si Lee E. Ohanian, New Deal Policies and the

Persistence of the Great Depression: A General Equilibrium
Analysis, Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press,
2004, vol. 112(4).
Massimo Motta, Competition Policy: Theory and Practice, editura

Cambridge, 2004
Hayashi & Prescott, The 1990s in Japan: A lost decade, Review of

Economic Dynamics, 2002.
Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development

(OECD), Enhancing the Role of Competition in the Regulation of
Banks, Background Paper in Competition Policy Roundtables No.
17, 1998, http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/34/58/1920512.pdf.
Hanazaki K. and A. Horiuchi, A Review of Japan's Bank Crisis from

the Governance Perspective, Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, 11,
2003.

(OECD), Financial Market Trends, The Current Financial Crisis:
Causes and Policy Issues, 2008.
Henry C. Simons, The requisites of free competition. 26 American

Economic Review , Papers and Proceedings, 26(1), (1936, p. 71). A
se consulta, de asemenea, Henry C. Simons, A Positive Program for
Laissez Faire: Some proposals for a liberal economic policy,
reprintat in Henry C. Simons, Economic Policy for a Free Society,
Chicago: University of Chicago Press (1948[1934].
Rochet, Jean-Charles, Why Are There So Many Banking Crises?

P r i n c e t o n U n i v e r s i t y P r e s s . 2 0 0 8 ,
http://press.princeton.edu/chapters/i8660.pdf.
United States, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System,
the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, and the Department
of Justice. 1995. Bank Merger Competitive Review Screening
Guidelines http://www.usdoj.gov/atr/public/guidelines/6472.htm.
Hickel, James K., The Chrysler Bail-Out Bust, Backgrounder 276.

(2002, p. 1-10).
The application of State aid rules to measures taken in relation to

financial institutions in the context of the current global financial
crisis, Communication from the Commission, 2008, October, 13
http://ec.europa.eu/comm/competition/state_aid/legislation/banki
ng_crisis_paper.pdf.

before the DPRU (Development Policy Research Unit) Conference
http://www.comptrib.co.za/Publications/Speeches/lewis14.pdf.
EU State aid policy and the car industry

http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/automotive/pagesbackground/com
petitiveness/com_2009_104/annex_2.pdf.
L.G. Telser, Cooperation, Competition, and Efficiency, Journal of

Law and Economics, Vol. 28, (1985, p. 271-295).
78
3/2009
Harold L. Cole si Lee E. Ohanian, New Deal Policies and the

Persistence of the Great Depression: A General Equilibrium
Analysis, Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press,
2004, vol. 112(4).

Cambridge, 2004.
Hayashi & Prescott, The 1990s in Japan: A lost decade, Review of

Economic Dynamics, 2002.

(OECD), Enhancing the Role of Competition in the Regulation of
Banks, Background Paper in Competition Policy Roundtables No.
17, 1998, http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/34/58/1920512.pdf.
Hanazaki K. and A. Horiuchi, A Review of Japan's Bank Crisis from

the Governance Perspective, Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, 11,
2003.

(OECD), Financial Market Trends, The Current Financial Crisis:
Causes and Policy Issues, 2008.
Henry C. Simons, The requisites of free competition. 26 American

Economic Review , Papers and Proceedings, 26(1), (1936, p. 71).
See, also, Henry C. Simons, A Positive Program for Laissez Faire:
Some proposals for a liberal economic policy, reprinted in Henry C.
Simons, Economic Policy for a Free Society, Chicago: University of
Chicago Press (1948[1934].
Rochet, Jean-Charles, Why Are There So Many Banking Crises?

P r i n c e t o n U n i v e r s i t y P r e s s , 2 0 0 8 ,
http://press.princeton.edu/chapters/i8660.pdf.
United States, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System,
the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, and the Department
of Justice. 1995. Bank Merger Competitive Review Screening
Guidelines http://www.usdoj.gov/atr/public/guidelines/6472.htm.
Hickel, James K., The Chrysler Bail-Out Bust, Backgrounder 276.

(2002, p. 1-10).
The application of State aid rules to measures taken in relation to

financial institutions in the context of the current global financial
crisis, Communication from the Commission, 2008, October, 13
http://ec.europa.eu/comm/competition/state_aid/legislation/banki
ng_crisis_paper.pdf.

before the DPRU (Development Policy Research Unit) Conference
on Regulation, Johannesburg, 2008, October:
http://www.comptrib.co.za/Publications/Speeches/lewis14.pdf.
EU State aid policy and the car industry:

http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/automotive/pagesbackground/co
mpetitiveness/com_2009_104/annex_2.pdf.
L.G. Telser, Cooperation, Competition, and Efficiency, Journal of

Law and Economics, Vol. 28, (1985, p. 271-295).
79
3/2009
NOUTI N DOMENIUL CONCURENEI I

AJUTORULUI DE STAT185
Antitrust
Raportul anual privind politica n domeniul

concurenei pe anul 2008
Consultare public pe tema revizuirii normelor

de concuren aplicabile n sectorul distribuiei
Raportul privind politica n domeniul concurenei

pe anul 2008, elaborat de Comisia European,
prezint o imagine de ansamblu asupra
principalelor evoluii ale politicii n domeniul
concurenei i asupra celor mai importante msuri
de punere n aplicare, ntreprinse la nivelul UE.
Raportul prezint modul n care instrumentele
aferente politicii n domeniul concurenei au fost
folosite pentru a face fa crizei economice i
financiare i evideniaz beneficiile pe care politica
n domeniul concurenei le-a adus consumatorilor.
Aceste activiti nu au distras atenia de la celelalte
msuri de punere n aplicare a politicii n domeniul
concurenei: procedurile mpotriva
comportamentelor anticoncureniale, controlul
concentrrilor economice i examinarea
ajutoarelor de stat au continuat ca nainte.
Comisia European invit prile interesate s

formuleze observaii privind propunerea sa de
modificare a regulamentului de exceptare pe
categorii i a liniilor directoare referitoare la
acordurile de furnizare i distribuie (restriciile
verticale). Actualul regulament va iei din vigoare n
mai 2010. Avnd n vedere experiena sa n
aplicarea normelor menionate i observaiile
formulate de prile interesate, Comisia consider
c, n general, aplicarea acestora d rezultate bune
i c nu ar trebui modificate n mod fundamental.
Principalele sugestii de modificare intenioneaz s
ia n considerare evoluiile recente ale pieei, n
special creterea puterii de cumprare a marilor
distribuitori cu amnuntul i evoluia vnzrilor online. Prile interesate sunt invitate s prezinte
observaii pn la 28 septembrie 2009.
Raportul concentreaz informaii referitoare la:
La momentul adoptrii acestuia, n 1999,

regulamentul a urmrit s reduc n mod
substanial constrngerile normative asupra
companiilor, n special asupra acelora care nu au
capacitatea de a crete preurile fr o pierdere a
profiturilor (cele care nu au putere de pia), cum ar
fi ntreprinderile mici i mijlocii, i s introduc o
abordare bazat pe efecte economice n ceea ce
privete evaluarea constrngerilor verticale. Aceste
obiective i constrngeri rmn de actualitate.
Reformarea politicii n vederea unor decizii mai

rapide i mai bune;
Concentrarea pe beneficiile aduse
consumatorilor de politica n domeniul
concurenei;
Controlul ntreprinderilor care abuzeaz de
poziia dominant;
Asigurarea de rezultate concrete pentru
ceteni.
Proiectul Regulamentului revizuit de exceptare pe

categorii i orientrile sunt disponibile pe site-ul
Europa, la urmtoarea adres:
Raportul anual privind politica n domeniul

concurenei pe anul 2008 poate fi consultat la
urmtoare adres:
http://ec.europa.eu/competition/consultations/2009_vertical_
agreements/index.html.
http://ec.europa.eu/competition/publications/annual_report/
index.html.
185
Material realizat de Carmen Bucur, inspector de concuren,
Direcia Cercetare-Sinteze.
80
3/2009
NEWS IN THE COMPETITION AND

STATE AID FIELD186
Antitrust
2008 Annual Report on Competition Policy
Public consultation on review of competition

rules for distribution sector
The European Commission's 2008 Report on

Competition Policy gives an overview of the main
developments in EU competition policy and major
enforcement actions. It demonstrates how the tools
of competition policy were used to face the
financial and economic crisis and highlights the
benefits that competition policy delivers to
consumers. This work did not distract from other
competition enforcement: action against anticompetitive conduct, vetting mergers, and
reviewing state aid continued as before.
The European Commission is calling for comments

on its proposal for a revised Block Exemption
Regulation and Guidelines on supply and
distribution agreements (vertical restraints). The
current Regulation is due to expire in May 2010.
Based on its experience in their application and on
stakeholders' comments, the Commission
considers that the rules are working well overall and
should not be fundamentally modified. The main
suggestions for amendments intend to take account
of recent market developments, in particular the
increased buyer power of big retailers and the
evolution of on-line sales on the Internet.
Interested parties are invited to submit comments
until 28th September 2009.
The Report presents information regarding:

Reforming the policy to deliver quicker and
better decisions;
Focusing on the benefits competition policy
brings to consumers;
Policing dominant firms;
Conveying strong results to the citizens.
At the time of its adoption in 1999, the Regulation

aimed at considerably reducing the regulatory
burden on companies, in particular companies
without the ability to raise prices without a loss of
profit (i.e. with no market power), like SMEs, and at
introducing an effects-based approach to the
assessment of vertical restraints. These objectives
and concerns remain valid today.
The 2008 Annual Report on Competition Policy

can be found at:
http://ec.europa.eu/competition/publications/annual_report/
index.html.
The draft revised Block Exemption Regulation and

Guidelines are available on the Europa website at:
http://ec.europa.eu/competition/consultations/2009_vertical_
agreements/index.html.
186
Drafted and translated by Carmen Bucur, competition inspector,
Research and Synthesis Directorate.
81
3/2009
Textul integral al comunicrii este disponibil la:

Ajutor de
stat
http://ec.europa.eu/competition/state_aid/legislation/specific_rules.html.
Orientri privind ajutoarele pentru restructurare

acordate bncilor
Comisia European actualizeaz normele pentru

finanarea de ctre stat a organismelor publice de
radiodifuziune
Comisia European a adoptat o comunicare prin

care explic abordarea proprie n evaluarea
ajutoarelor de restructurare acordate bncilor de
ctre statele membre. Aceast abordare se bazeaz
pe trei principii fundamentale: i) bncile beneficiare
ale ajutorului trebuie s devin viabile pe termen
lung fr a alt sprijin suplimentar din partea statului;
ii) bncile beneficiare ale ajutorului i proprietarii
acestora trebuie s suporte o parte corespunztoare
din costurile de restructurare; i iii) trebuie adoptate
msuri de limitare a denaturrii concurenei pe piaa
unic. Orientrile, care sunt n vigoare pn la 31
decembrie 2010, explic n special modul n care
Comisia intenioneaz s aplice aceste principii n
contextul actualei crize financiare sistemice, astfel
nct s contribuie la restabilirea viabilitii sectorului
bancar european.
Comisia European a adoptat o nou Comunicare

privind ajutoarele de stat pentru finanarea serviciilor
publice de radiodifuziune. Comunicarea stabilete
un cadru clar pentru dezvoltarea serviciilor publice
de radiodifuziune i ofer o securitate juridic
sporit investiiilor efectuate att de serviciile de
mass-media publice, ct i de cele private. Noua
comunicare nlocuiete Comunicarea Comisiei
privind radiodifuziunea din 2001. n comparaie cu
textul anterior, noua comunicare acord o atenie
sporit responsabilitii i eficacitii controalelor la
nivel naional, inclusiv evalurii transparente a
impactului global al noilor servicii mass-media
finanate din fondurile publice.
Principalele modificri aduse de noua comunicare
se refer la:
evaluarea prealabil a noilor servicii importante
lansate de serviciile publice de radiodifuziune
(comparnd impactul pe pia al unor astfel de
servicii i valoarea public a acestora);
clarificri privind includerea serviciilor contra
cost n misiunea de serviciu public;
un control mai eficace al supracompensrii i
monitorizarea respectrii misiunii de serviciu
public la nivel naional;
o flexibilitate financiar sporit pentru
organismele publice de radiodifuziune.
Comisia se confrunt cu un numr mare de cazuri

individuale de restructurare a bncilor ca urmare a
msurilor privind ajutoarele de restructurare
acordate bncilor, aprobate cu condiia ca un plan
de restructurare s fie prezentat n termen de ase
luni. Pentru ncurajarea transparenei, a
predictibilitii i a egalitii de tratament ntre statele
membre, Comisia a adoptat orientri care s clarifice
abordarea acesteia, criteriile pe care i va ntemeia
evaluarea i informaiile necesare evalurii. Aceste
orientri se ntemeiaz pe articolul 87 alineatul (3)
litera (b) din Tratatul CE, care permite acordarea
ajutoarelor de stat n cazul unei perturbri grave a
economiei. Acestea sunt temporare i se vor aplica
pn la sfritul anului 2010. Dup aceast dat se
reia aplicarea normelor obinuite privind salvarea i
restructurarea, bazate pe articolul 87 alineatul (3)
litera (c) din Tratat (ajutoare pentru dezvoltarea unor
anumite activiti sau zone economice cu condiia ca
acestea s nu afecteze negativ condiiile comerciale
ntr-o msur contrar interesului comun).
Comunicarea are drept obiectiv asigurarea unei

caliti superioare a serviciilor publice de
radiodifuziune pe diferite platforme, de la internet la
ecranele instalate n spaii publice.
Textul comunicrii este disponibil la adresa:
http://ec.europa.eu/competition/state_aid/legislation/specific_
rules.html#broadcasting.
82
3/2009
The full text of the Communication is available at:
State
Aid
rules.html.
Guidelines on restructuring aid to banks

The European Commission has agreed a
Communication explaining its approach to
assessing restructuring aid given by Member States
to banks. The approach is based on three
fundamental principles: i) aided banks must be
made viable in the long term without further state
support, ii) aided banks and their owners must
carry a fair burden of the restructuring costs and iii)
measures must be taken to limit distortions of
competition in the Single Market. The guidelines,
which are in force until 31 December 2010,
explain in particular how the Commission intends
to apply these principles in the context of the
current systemic financial crisis, with a view to
contributing to the return to viability of the
European banking sector.
The Commission has to deal with a large number of
individual cases of bank restructuring, which
follow from bank rescue aid measures approved on
the condition that a restructuring plan would be
submitted within six months. In order to foster
transparency, predictability and equality of
treatment between Member States, the
Commission has issued guidelines to clarify its
approach, the criteria it will base its assessment
upon and the type of information required to guide
this assessment. These guidelines are based on
Article 87.3b) of the EC Treaty, which authorizes
state aid in case of a serious disturbance in the
economy. They will be temporary and apply until
the end of 2010. After that date, the normal rules
on rescue and restructuring, based on Article
87.3c) of the Treaty (aid for the development of
certain economic activities or areas where such aid
does not adversely affect trading conditions to an
extent contrary to the common interest) should
resume.
European Commission updates rules for state

funding of public broadcasters
The European Commission has adopted a new
Communication on state aid for the funding of
public service broadcasters. The Communication
provides a clear framework for the development of
public broadcasting services and enhances legal
certainty for investment by public and private
media alike. The new Communication replaces the
Commission's 2001 Broadcasting Communication.
The main changes include an increased focus on
accountability and effective control at the national
level, including a transparent evaluation of the
overall impact of publicly-funded new media
services.
The main changes in the new Communication
concern:
the ex ante control of significant new services
launched by public service broadcaster
(balancing the market impact of such new
services with their public value);
clarifications concerning the inclusion of pay
services in the public service remit;
more effective control of overcompensation
and supervision of the public service mission
on the national level;
increased financial flexibility for public service
broadcasters.
The Communication is designed to ensure high
quality public broadcasting services on a variety of
platforms, ranging from the internet to screens in
public places.
The text of the Communication is available at:
rules.html#broadcasting
83
tiprit la:
Tel. 0238-720 514

e-mail: vegaprod@vegagroup.ro
www.vegagroup.ro

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Revista 3 2009

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TIPAR/PRINTED BY: VEGA PROD

Nevoia de competitivitate i performan n economia romneasc

Dreptul concurenei i organizaiile nonprofit n Statele Unite ale Americii, Uniunea

Autoritatea de Valorificare a Activelor Statului i Consiliul Concurenei un lung proces de

Ieirea din criz - cazul Romniei interbelice

Concluzii rezultate din analiza Raportului ajutoarelor de stat acordate n Romnia n

Piaa grului concluzii ale raportului investigaiei utile

Evoluii recente n politica SUA n domeniul concurenei

Politica i legea concurenei n contextul actualelor provocri economice la nivel global

Nouti n domeniul concurenei i ajutorului de stat

NEVOIA DE COMPETITIVITATE I PERFORMAN

Economia Romniei, marcat puternic de

Provocarea strategic pentru tranziia extern a

Spargerea cercului vicios al decalajelor reale are

Astfel, Romnia este n situaia dificil de a pierde

Este nevoie de o ajustare raional a cheltuielilor,

Semnalele cele mai puternice de vulnerabilitate a

plafonarea iniiativei sociale, cu deosebire a

amplificarea dezechilibrelor interne;

Vicepreedinte al Consiliului Concurenei.

THE NEED OF COMPETITIVENESS AND

The Romania's economy, intensely marked by the

The strategic challenge for the Romania's

Thus, Romania is in the difficult state of losing both

The breaking of the vicious circle of the real

The more intense vulnerability signs of the

housekeeping consumption segment, and the

A rational adjusting of the expenditure is necessary,

The amplifying of the internal unbalances;

Translated into English by Doina Mesteacn.

Recurgerea la planificarea bugetar multianual i

Susinerea dezvoltrii prin fonduri UE, efortul

Trecerea la ajustarea structural a ofertei, pentru

n sintez, noiunile cheie pentru etapa socio

Alturi de aceste soluii operaionale este nevoie de

Ordine i performan, cum ar spune A. Comte,

profesionalizarea forei de munc (educaia

Romnia trebuie s mbunteasc stimulentele

Resorting to the multi-annual budgetary planning,

The supporting of the development, through the

The passing to the structural adjusting of the offer,

Synthetically, the key notions for the nowadays

Beside these operational solutions, strategic

improving of the labor professional

Tidiness and performance, as A. Compte would

Romania has to improve the economic and

DREPTUL CONCURENEI I ORGANIZAIILE

Fr a face exces de erudiie , autoarea i-a

Susinut cu succes n anul precedent, la Institutul

Desigur, doctrinarii juriti nu au fost ignorai, cei

Plecnd de la constatarea c sectorul nonprofit

Ipoteza de la care a plecat autoarea n studiul su

Lucrarea este mprit n 6 capitole8, din care

Esenial ni se pare a fi faptul c n Dreptul

COMPETITION LAW AND NONPROFIT

Without making any excess of erudition22, the

Being the author's PhD thesis successfully defended

Naturally, the jurists were not ignored, the most

Starting from the observations that The nonprofit

The primary hypothesis of the author is that the

The book has 6 chapters 21: the first contains the

The fact that the US, EC and German Competition