On 1 July 2026, The Left group in the European Parliament tabled seven amendments to the draft annual competition policy report for 2025, challenging the current paradigm of EU competition policy. The amendments, proposed by MEPs Manon Aubry, Marc Botenga, Martin Schirdewan, and Jussi Saramo, call for subordinating competition rules to an active, state-led industrial strategy, introducing anti-profiteering measures, and reforming merger control to protect workers.
The amendments target several key areas of EU competition law. Amendments 1 and 2 argue that competition policy should not hinder an active industrial strategy underpinned by strong public investment, and assert that public ownership and control of strategically significant companies are vital for a just transition. Amendments 3 and 4 directly tackle 'greedflation,' proposing that competition policy be used to combat profit-driven inflation through interventions such as windfall taxes, price controls, and antitrust proceedings targeting abnormally high profits in food and energy supply chains. Amendment 6 calls for the European Commission to formally evaluate potential harm to workers—including from employer concentration and the market power of digital gatekeepers—when assessing mergers, introducing a labour dimension into merger analysis. Amendment 7 proposes that State aid be conditional on strict social and environmental requirements, including prohibitions on closures, production cutbacks, and relocations. Amendment 5 challenges the prevailing industry narrative that consolidation is necessary for investment, highlighting that more consolidated telecoms markets in Europe are characterised by low investment, higher prices, and lower-quality services.
The amendments are proposed changes to the report by rapporteur Stéphanie Yon-Courtin (Renew Europe) and have not yet been voted on. They will be examined and voted on in the European Parliament's plenary session, and if adopted, would become part of Parliament's position for negotiations with the Council. The amendments represent a fundamental challenge to the market-driven logic of EU competition law, with significant implications for businesses, workers, and consumers. If adopted, they could lead to greater public intervention in markets, stricter conditions on mergers and State aid, and direct price controls in certain sectors, potentially increasing regulatory costs for companies while providing stronger protections for workers and consumers against corporate profiteering.