Reconciliation of new industrial policy requirements with competition principles

By integrating competition principles into industrial policymaking, authorities can help mitigate risks of distortions of competition and ensure that government interventions do not stifle innovation or reduce market efficiency.Compliance with competition law ensures that economic sectors remain competitive, even in the presence of State intervention. The article presents the implications of the industrialisation process on competition policy, in the context of the recent publication of Mario Draghi's "Report on the Future of European Competitiveness", mandated by the European Commission in order to define a strategy for European sustainability and competitiveness. The report makes a number of recommendations, with a direct impact on competition and, implicitly, on specific legislation in the field. The article has a multi-layered approach, analysing the implications of the Draghi Report in the areas of antitrust, state aid, mergers and foreign direct investment.