The Real Economy and Competition Policy in Periods of Retrenchment

Competition policy works well when markets are given time to evolve and drive improved efficiency; but this takes time. However, under current turbulent times, the short-run survival actions may be insistently sought by policy-makers under the pressure of trade unions and the exit of failing firms may be perceived to be more costly for society. Actually, the immediate costs that existing businesses, employees and consumers have to incur may be up-front and visible, while the benefits of competition may be less visible. As a consequence, times of severe financial and economic crises bring about a severe questioning of market mechanisms with unfailing regularity and the stance of the competition policy against this backdrop. We shall therefore look in the current paper at the role of competition authorities in a time of severe economic and financial crisis and in particular, at how the crisis will impact the application of competition law. In the end, we will conclude in favour of the need to preserve competition policy as well in difficult times even if we admit that a certain flexibilisation in procedures (but not in rules) may be probably necessary.retrenchment, antitrust and merger control, state aid policy, competition authority

Molecular identification of trichostrongylus axei on European brown hare (Lepus Europaeus) in Western Romania - case report

Trichostrongylosis is a cosmopolitan parasitic disease affecting domestic and wild ruminants, equines, and last but not least, leporids. Three species of strongyles commonly parasitize the digestive tracts of leporids, the most prevalent being Trichostrongylus retortaeformis. This paper describes the first case of Trichostrongylus axei infestation in a wild hare in western Romania. A female wild hare carcass found in Timis County was examined at the Parasiology Department of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in Timisoara. A clinical, post-mortem and PCR examination was performed to establish a diagnosis, with molecular analysis confirming the presence of the nematode Trichostrongylus axei in European brown hare

Quality of life and special issues in women with inflammatory bowel diseases

Introduction. The impact of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) on the quality of life (QoL) of patients is significant and it has important social and professional consequences. Materials and methods. We aimed to describe the patients’ perspective regarding the impact of IBD on their overall QoL and to evaluate the differences between men and women. An observational cross-sectional study, that included 180 patients with IBD in clinical remission, was conducted. All the patients completed a number of 3 questionnaires in order to evaluate the general aspects of their QoL. A separate questionnaire was created regarding gender-specific issues in women with IBD encounter. Also, particular features such as the incidence of anemia and osteoporosis among IBD patients were documented. The data obtained were analyzed and compared between the two gender-classified groups. Results. According to the Short Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire (SIBDQ), patients had a general perception of a good QoL, but the impact was higher in women. Fatigue and tiredness were severely perceived almost to the same degree regardless of their gender, whereas anxiety and unemployment were more present in men. No significant differences in women with IBD during the active disease and during disease remission were found. Conclusions. The overall quality of life of IBD patients is affected in many aspects, leading to the deterioration of their social and professional lives, for both men and women, but some aspects remain gender-specific and require a personalized standard of care

State Aid to the Romanian Steel and Coal Sectors: Issues Related to Accession

This article aims to offer to the non-specialist reader a concise introduction to the main elements of the state aid acquis, and inform on what lies ahead of Romania in the accession process in relation to state aid control, based on the precedent of the 2004 enlargement. It also discusses the current state of affairs in Romania in the domain of state aid control, with a particular view to the situation of the steel and coal sectors. Section I covers the legal concept of state aid, the substantive rules applicable to state aid – the general ban and exemptions from it, the Commission’s control and monitoring powers, and the regime currently applicable to coal and steel aid. Section II relates the experience of the countries that joined the EU in May 2004 in the negotiation of state aid issued under the Competition Chapter, discusses the notion of “existing aid” (i.e. state aid given in the candidate countries previous to accession but which continues to produce effects after accession) in the context of enlargement, and overviews the agreed transitional arrangements. Section III turns to the legislative and institutional context for the control of state aid in Romania, and to topical issues related to state aid in the context of the negotiations on the Competition Chapter

THE RESTRUCTURING OF ROMANIAN POWER SECTOR AT THE CROSSROADS: COMPETITIVE MARKETS OR NEO-COLBERTISM?

Despite efforts made by European Commission to liberalize electricity markets and foster integration, there are still significant barriers to free competition. Until now, Romania was one of the countries that have been compliant to the European Union’s electricity directives, being ahead of several older member states in this area. However, reforms have not started to pay out, suggesting that the model of combining state-owned non-competing generators with private/privatized distributors and suppliers may not be the best model of market deregulation. As a result, Romanian authorities have started to talk about plans to restructure the sector, by re-consolidating the unbundled generation companies and the state-owned distribution companies into one national energy company, aiming to create a national champion, competitive on the regional markets. However, these proposals are based on questionable economics and their adoption will have negative effects on market competition and, thus, on consumers

Electricity reform in Romania

Romania is a net exporter of electricity to the SE Europe region. Its performance of this role will increase in importance with (a) the completion of another nuclear generator and (b) improvement in capacity for international transmission. Romania has committed itself to an electricity restructuring plan that includes vertical separation, but plans remain uncertain regarding the horizontal restructuring of generation. Among the more important issues yet to be decided are (a) how hydro capacity will be allocated - it has more than 1/4 of capacity and enjoys low costs - and (b) how many thermal generation enterprises will be created, and with what assets. With more than 1/2 of the thermal capacity accounted for by CHP plants and with a winter demand peak for the foreseeable future, there is a real danger of inflexibility and a lack of competitiveness in a liberalized wholesale electricity market.Electricity Restructuring Competition Romania