EC act on antitrust rules

The European Commission is set to reveal a new weapon in its enforcement of antitrust rules, by adopting a law which will aim to rip down market entry barriers before potential abuses occur.

The Commission, from now on, will be proactive, launching market sector inquiries and not just dealing with complaints after problems arise.

The new law would help speed up the commission's ability to tackle antitrust problems, with a reduction in red tape so as to free up Commission resources.

The Commission came in for heavy criticism on taking over four years to reach a decision on its investigation into software giant Microsoft Corp.

It has also lingered on its probe into UK mobile phone roaming fees that technology has overtaken events, bringing the companies in line with EU law.