COMPETITION POLICY IN THE EUROPEAN UNION

Abstract

The idea of European unity dates back to antiquity, the time when the Roman Empire also pursued such a goal. Attempts to unify European countries have appeared constantly in history, but their successful culmination crystallized only after the Second World War. Basically, the two wars have led to the downfall of Europe and the loss of its centenary political and military position. The experience of these wars has led the states to initiate a defense mechanism of peace, security and international cooperation - resulted in creating an organization of universal jurisdiction -The League of Nations. However, the successor of this organization, The United Nations - was one that managed thorough its collective security system represented by the Security Council, to ensure and maintain universal / global peace until now (Stelian Scaunas, 2005). The creation of the European Union is based on four founding treaties: The Treaty establishing The European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) - adopted in Paris on April 18, 1951, entered into force in 1952 - treaty concluded for a period of 50 years and that has terminated in 2002, The Treaty establishing the European Economic Community (EEC,) The Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community (EAEC or EURATOM), both signed in Rome on March 25, 1947 and entered into force in 1958 as the Treaties of Rome, and The Treaty on the European Union, which was adopted at Maastricht on 7th of February 1992 and entered into force in 1993. To these institution treaties we can add the modifying treaties of the founding treaties, including: The Merger Treaty - adopted in Brussels on 8 April 1965, entered into force in 1967; The Single European Act - signed in Luxembourg and Hague in 1986, entered into force in 1987; The Amsterdam Treaty - signed on October 2, 1997, entered into force in 1999, The Treaty of Nice - signed on February 26, 2001, entered into force in 2003, The Lisbon Treaty signed in 2007 and entered into force on December 1st 2009. The economic development of each community country, of the European Union as a whole is unthinkable without maintaining a functioning competitive environment, fundamental requirement in the market economy. Moreover, competition is considered as the most important cause of economic and scientific-technical progress. The purpose of the present work is the elucidation of the specific notions attached to competition, competition policy, give-away of the types of competition and the analyze of the existent policies in the domain of the competition. Leaving from the hypothesis off the specialty literature (reminding here: Ioan Alexandru and the co-workers, Aurelia Cotutin, Dumitru Mazilu, Tudorel Stefan, Beatrice Grigoriu), such as the relationships which it’s proceed between the participants on the same market with the intention to accomplish some personal concerns by the conditions of economic liberty, we try to analyze each type of competition, the competition policies, following concomitantly the achievements of the specific nature of the policy in the domain of competition. The question which it’s shape is if the process of the European integration it’s manage to generate an competition policy materialized in a necessary condition for the existence of the unique internal market. Another problem tackle in this paper-work is the evolution of the competition policy in the European Union bringing close-up the mains international documents which is settle the competition and those evolution in time. As well, an important bearing represent the European institution which administrate the competition policy, an aspect which is debate in the section 3 of this scientific demarche.