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Hungary: EU intervenes as national competition powers threatened

By  |  April 16, 2014

The European Commission has reportedly accused Hungary of challenging the independence of the nation’s competition regulator and is now threatening legal action against the nation.

The accusations follow Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s involvement last year in Hungary’s antitrust probe into the watermelon market; Orban reportedly sought to ensure domestic growers were not squeezed out of the market by foreign rivals’ cheaper imports.

It caused Hungary’s parliament, under Orban’s direction, to pass legislation that bars the competition regulator from sanctioning agricultural product cartels unless the ministry of agriculture approves such action, according to reports.

But that law has caused European Commissioner Joaquin Almunia to intervene, arguing the law undermines EU competition law.

The Commission has reportedly given Hungary two months to change the legislation.

Full Content: European Voice

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