Public Consultation on the Intersection Between Competition Law and Sustainability Policy

The European Commission has published a call for contributions, which will run until 20 November, on how EU competition policy can best support the “Green Deal”.

The Green Deal is the EU’s action plan intended to boost the efficient use of resources by moving to a clean, circular economy and to restore biodiversity and cut pollution.The main goal is for Europe to be the first climate neutral continent by 2050.The idea is that competition policy, although not the primary tool to combat climate change and protect the environment, can complement regulation in doing so.Short of any legislative changes to the existing competition law framework, competition policy’s contribution to the Green Deal can only take place within the said legal framework.

In the light of this, the EU is seeking the opinion of all stakeholders on whether competition law can do more to assist the Green Deal.The call for contributions focuses on the role that state aid rules can play in this regard, and whether any changes to the state aid rulebook are required.The call however also considers the role that antitrust and merger rules can play.

Following the call for contributions, the consultation documents will be made available in all official languages of the EU. This will be followed by a conference early in 2021.