Boosting sustainable technology through the new EU competition policy

Abstract EU antitrust is at the crossroads. It faces calls to be more supportive of corporate sustainability initiatives and, since the publication of the Draghi Report, increased pressure not to stand in the way of the global competitiveness of European industries. This article develops a pragmatic plan to reap the full environmental potential of EU competition policy. It draws attention to the instrumental and institutional constraints encountered when actively pursuing sustainability through antitrust. Relying on the theory of economic policy and from a pro‐enforcement standpoint, the article ponders how the instruments and principles devised in the ongoing antitrust reform may be used to encourage sustainable technology and, in turn, boost growth. The aim is to find a path towards an eco‐friendly yet effective competition policy.